


Longing for the Melody

by MaxWrite



Series: Nerds in Love [1]
Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: M/M, Technobabble, Technophilia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-06-21
Updated: 2009-08-25
Packaged: 2017-10-18 13:40:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 3
Words: 26,369
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/189447
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaxWrite/pseuds/MaxWrite
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The way to Scotty's heart (and into his bed) is through the ship.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Longing for the Melody

Commander Spock let out a little puff of air in exasperation. "No. I repeat: _'who'_ is used for a grammatical subject, where a nominative pronoun such as I or he would be appropriate. _'Whom'_ is used as the object of a verb or preposition."

Doctor McCoy, who was frowning at nothing in particular, considered this explanation for a moment and then replied, "Say what?"

"He said you should drink more," said Captain Kirk.

"Oh." McCoy reached for his tumbler of bourbon and took a swig from it. He swallowed and said, "I'm a doctor, not an English professor."

"Doctor, if you would learn your own language properly, I wouldn't need to correct you," said Spock.

McCoy eyed him sidelong. "This is a side of you nobody likes, you know."

A snort of appreciation at the statement came from the fourth man at the table. Kirk, McCoy and Spock turned their heads in unison to look at Scotty, who had his nose buried in the PADD he had brought with him to the mess hall.

"Hey," said Kirk, reaching over to jab him in the arm. "Hey! What is wrong with everybody today? You're still working, this one over here's giving English lessons."

"My work is important to me," said Scotty distractedly, not looking up. "'S why you love me."

"Yeah," said Kirk. "It's also why I bust your balls so much. I dragged you here to unwind a bit."

"You dragged me here before I was finished what I was doing, didn't ya? You interrupt me, distract me, and then later on you expect the bleeding impossible from me! It's abuse, is what that is."

"Can't you have one of your people take care of that? – Oh, hey, here's one of your people now."

"What?" Scotty finally looked up, twisted around in his chair and saw Ensign Chekov practically bounding toward them, all bright-eyed and smiley.

"What's that you got there, Scotty, numbers?" asked Kirk, trying to see what was on the PADD's screen. "Let the kid do it. He likes numbers." He tried to take the PADD away, but Scotty yanked it out of his grasp with a frown.

"Captain," said Chekov when he'd reached their table. "Doctor, Commander, Commander." He nodded at each one of them in turn. They each nodded back, except Scotty who was frowning at his PADD again.

"What can we do for you, Ensign?" asked Kirk.

"I wanted to ask Commander Scott something, actually." Chekov was practically bouncing on the balls of his feet before the chief engineer.

"What now?" asked Scotty, looking up.

"I am sorry to bother you, sir. It is about the warp field experiment. There are a few details that need to be looked over."

"Oh," said Scotty, again distracted. He licked his lips. "Well, I'm working on some things for that right now, actually." He held up his PADD. "The rest of it can wait. We can do it tomorrow with everyone else."

"Oh, okay," said Chekov, his gaze losing its hopeful light and falling from Scotty's face. "Yes. Of course. Sorry again to bother you, sir."

"No problem." At that, Scotty turned away and went back to tapping buttons. Chekov nodded at the others, turned and left the mess hall.

Kirk looked at Scotty in disbelief. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"

Scotty looked up again, his mouth hanging open slightly. "What? We don't need to go over the details today. Besides, he can get anybody else on the team to help him with that."

Kirk pointed at the door through which Chekov had just exited. "That kid wants to ride you."

McCoy choked on his bourbon, spluttered and began coughing.

"Captain!" said Scotty in shock. "He... I... What... _Seventeen_!"

McCoy regained his composure and snapped, "Dammit, Jim!"

"What?" asked Kirk innocently. "I can't be the only one to have noticed it, can I?"

"Well, if we're talking about things you make up in that diseased brain of yours, then yes, I'd say you'd be the only one to have noticed it!" said McCoy.

"No," said Spock calmly. "He was not the only one."

"Ah, not you too?" said Scotty to the Vulcan. "Aren't you supposed to be the sensible one?"

"I am being perfectly sensible, Mr. Scott. Ensign Chekov displayed several physical characteristics that effectively gave him away. He focused his attention solely on you, for one thing."

"He came to ask _me_ something. Where was he supposed to be looking?"

"I am not finished with my assessment. I also observed his pupils dilating and his skin flushing when you made eye contact."

"How the hell could you possibly see all of that?"

"See?" said McCoy, jerking his thumb at Spock. "And you all wonder why it freaks me out when he stares at me."

Spock only raised an eyebrow at him. McCoy raised one of his own right back.

"Now, how do you know he wasn't reacting to someone else in the room?" asked Scotty.

"Ensign Chekov’s focus was obvious," Spock said simply.

"Well, this is all fascinating," said Scotty, "but none of it matters because I like women. With breasts and everything. Women who are _of age_."

"He's of age," said Kirk, "on some planet someplace."

"Besides, Mr. Scott," said Spock, "You might dismiss Ensign Chekov because he is male, but your body reacts to him in much the same way that his reacts to you. And it appears to be without your knowledge. Fascinating."

"Oh, I'm gonna need another drink for this," said McCoy, and he stood up and walked away.

"I beg your bloody, bleeding, sodding pardon, sir?" said Scotty incredulously.

Kirk was positively beaming. "I misjudged you, Spock. You are highly entertaining."

"Indeed," said Spock flatly. "Denial is a very unhealthy state of being, Mr. Scott. What I witnessed is undeniable."

"Well, aren't we the daft bugger tonight?" said Scotty.

"Hardly. Your skin flushed, your pupils dilated, and if I'm not mistaken your mouth went dry, did it not?"

"Unbelievable," said Kirk, resting an elbow on the table and his chin on his palm, staring at Spock with new-found respect.

"What'd I miss?" asked McCoy as he returned with a freshly-replicated tumbler of bourbon. "Did Pointy Ears explain himself?"

"He did," said Kirk with a nod, a knowing smile and a gleam in his eyes.

"And the verdict?"

"Scotty's got the hot pants for our little Russian friend."

"I most certainly do not!" Scotty protested. "You take that back!"

"It really is nothing to be ashamed of," said Spock. "Even a heterosexual male such as... yourself," Spock cleared his throat and Scotty narrowed his eyes at him, "should be able to appreciate beauty in an attractive male."

"Yeah, but appreciatin' ain't what he's talkin' about!" said Scotty, jerking his thumb at Kirk.

"Hey, what I'm talking about is a _type_ of appreciation," said Kirk.

"If the pheromones are a match, there isn't much humans can do to counteract them," said Spock. "There are certain individuals with _whom_ ," he glanced deliberately at McCoy as he said this, "certain other individuals just, as they say, _click_."

"See?" said Kirk enthusiastically, holding up his hands as though in surrender. "It's a losing battle, Scotty. I'm afraid you're going to have to fuck him."

Scotty glared at the captain and then leaned forward, toward Spock, who was sitting opposite him, and said in almost a whisper, "But he's a guy."

"Indeed," said Spock in a slow, deliberate way as though speaking to someone much less intelligent than himself. "Your point, Mr. Scott?"

"My _point?_ He's a _guy_!"

"Yes, but he's a very pretty guy," said Kirk. They all looked at him. He shrugged. "What? He is. Right place, right time, I'd probably do him."

"Good god, man," muttered McCoy.

"Oh, like you can't appreciate beauty in a man," said Kirk.

"It's not that. And the fact that _you'd_ defile the boy isn't the issue, either; we all know you're a horn dog."

Kirk grinned from ear to ear.

"It's his age!" McCoy went on. "He's –"

 _"Seventeen!"_ said Scotty in something like a squeak.

"There is nothing wrong with finding Ensign Chekov attractive," said Spock. "Frankly, it's illogical and futile to feel guilty about chemical reactions, as there is nothing you can do about them."

"Listen to him, people," said Kirk. "The man is bestowing The Wisdom upon us now, folks."

"I wasn't finished. _However_ , it would be wrong to act on those chemical reactions because **a)** Ensign Chekov is your subordinate and **b)** he is very young and possibly cannot accurately predict the consequences of his actions. You, however, can. To be with him would be to take advantage and –"

"Okay, that's enough," said Kirk with a wave of his hand. "You've stopped being fun again."

 _"Finally!"_ said Scotty, throwing up his hands. "Someone's talking sense! Yes, it would be very wrong!"

"If I may ask," said McCoy, "and if it's none of my business, feel free to tell me to shut the fuck up, but when _was_ the last time you got laid, Scotty?"

"Oh, I don't know," Scotty grumbled, looking back down at his PADD.

"If you don't know, it's been too long," said Kirk. "The kid wants you. Do the kid."

"No," said Spock. "Do not 'do' the kid."

Scotty looked from Kirk to Spock, and then turned his eyes toward McCoy. "What, don't you have a couple o' cents to throw in here?"

McCoy shook his head. "It's none of my business... _but_ if you want to know for sure what's going through the kid's head, you might want to make yourself available to him."

"Yes!" said Kirk. "Yes, exactly! Make yourself very, very available!"

"Not that kind of available, you pervert," McCoy growled. "My kind of available doesn't involve bodily fluids. What I meant was, if the kid wants to go over some experiment details with you – with you specifically, when he can get anyone else to do it – well, then..." McCoy shrugged and then downed his drink.

"Ah," said Kirk, nodding. "Offer yourself up and see what he does. I like it."

"I'm not _offering_ myself up!" snapped Scotty. "I'm not a slab of meat, for Christ sakes!" He stood, pointed at the captain and said, "You're a sick bastard... sir. And you two," he said, looking at Spock and McCoy, "I expected more from both o' ya's." At that, Scotty spun around, stalked off.

"Where are you going?" called Kirk.

"I have to... recalibrate... something, I don't know!" Scotty called back just before exiting the mess hall.

Kirk shook his head. "There, but for the grace of God and a damn pretty face, go I."

 

* * *

It was ridiculous. It was preposterous! Chekov was practically a child! No, Scotty wasn't even going to entertain the idea. Even if he hadn't been able to stop thinking about it ever since it had been brought up yesterday.

It was very difficult to ignore the way Chekov's eyes seemed to twinkle, the way he smiled, the way he bounded toward the Scotty whenever they found themselves in the same room together. He was like a puppy, this one; all excited and eager and _go, go, go_!

And he was quick; he picked things up as easily as if he'd been doing this job for twenty years. With the ensign's help, preparations for the warp field experiment went by in the blink of an eye. And when they were finished, when all the other officers had dispersed, thankful to be finished, there was Chekov, still at work, his fingers tapping incessantly away at the buttons of a console.

Scotty stopped what he was doing and watched him for a moment. He _was_ terribly pretty, Scotty couldn't deny it. His creamy cheeks always seemed to hold just the barest hint of a blush. His pink mouth hung open slightly as he concentrated, his bottom lip pouting a bit. He was the epitome of youth and, to Scotty's dismay, quite nice to look at. The head full of blondish curls didn't help matters. Scotty had noticed more than a few of the other officers eying the kid appreciatively, and he had a sneaking suspicion that it wasn't just because Chekov was impressively smart for his age. The younger women couldn't help but flirt; the older women didn't know if they wanted to flirt with him or adopt him; the men were even more confused than the older women. Scotty had no idea who might or might not swing that way, but some of the men had as difficult a time keeping their eyes off the young ensign as anybody else did. Perhaps Spock had a point; chemicals were chemicals, they didn't care about sexual preferences. Youth, innocence and just plain prettiness were universal languages.

Scotty smiled to himself as he wondered how many of those male officers were disconcerted by their apparent interest in Chekov. He couldn't help but snort a little as he tried to stifle a laugh.

"Sir?"

Scotty looked up again and found Chekov watching him. He must've heard Scotty's little snort. And Jesus, he had that look on his face, that _look_ with the slightly raised eyebrows, the wide eyes. It was as though the kid was saying "teach me" without saying anything at all.

Scotty's belly tingled. He quickly lowered his gaze before anything else could begin tingling. "Nothing. Just... something funny I remembered from earlier. Shouldn't you be off someplace getting drunk?" Scotty paused, looked up and frowned, "Shouldn't _I_ be off someplace getting drunk?"

"I like it here," said Chekov, making his way over to Scotty. Scotty had the sudden urge to step back as Chekov approached, but he made himself stay where he was. Something about this kid now, something Scotty hadn't noticed before that ridiculous conversation in the mess hall, felt like fire to Scotty. There was something about Chekov that seemed hot and dangerous, something that wanted to engulf Scotty, consume him. That couldn't always have been the case, could it? But it couldn't have just started either.

"You like it here, do you?" asked Scotty, still not looking at Chekov.

Chekov nodded. "So do you, yes?"

Scotty smiled. "You've noticed."

Chekov nodded again. "You are passionate about this ship."

"Damn right, I am." Scotty finally looked at him again.

"She is like, uh... your baby."

Scotty stared into the eyes, the big eyes that seemed to burn holes in his skull like blue particle beams. They were focused on him with an intensity Scotty hadn't seen Chekov focus on anyone else before, and those infernal eyebrows were quirked upwards, questioning him, begging him.

Was it just him or was Chekov suddenly standing closer than he had been a moment ago?

Scotty gulped and looked away. "Yes. She is. I know it sounds daft."

"No." Chekov shook his head, making the curls that spilled down onto his forehead shake. "No, it does not." He touched his own chest and nodded. "I understand."

Scotty hazarded another glance at him. "You do, do you?"

Chekov nodded again and this time his face broke into a huge grin. "Yes. Come, I show you." Chekov turned and walked away. Scotty blinked at him in confusion.

"Come, you show me?" he muttered to himself. He followed Chekov to the stairs that led up to the catwalk. Scotty followed apprehensively. He watched Chekov trot on up the stairs as though gravity didn't exist for him, and when he reached the catwalk, he gazed admiringly up at the warp core, which was pulsing out its steady, comforting, thrumming rhythm. Something in his face, the wonder as he stared at the pulsing lights inside the giant tube, had Scotty riveted. He moved toward Chekov like moth to flame.

Chekov looked at him and positively beamed. "Tell me," he said, "about your ship."

"Tell you? What's that mean?"

"Tell me," Chekov urged. He took a step closer to Scotty, faced him completely and leaned his hip against the railing that protected them from falling down into the warp core. "Tell me about your love."

"Oh," said Scotty, looking up at the glowing core. "Well, uh... when you spend this much time with something, you know, it's hard not to become sort of... affectionate towards it, you know?"

"Yes," said Chekov with a nod. Scotty could feel the teenager's heat, he was standing that close. Scotty gulped and kept on talking.

"I work on her everyday, you know, crawl around inside her, _listen_ to her, _hear_ her, _feel_ her..." He reached out and laid a hand on the giant tube, watched the undulating light pass beneath his fingers. A smile slowly spread across his face and he nodded. "Aye... she's having a good day."

"She is warm to touch."

"Oh, yeah, definitely. But it's not a steady warmth. It sort of... pulses, even when we're not in warp. Like a living thing."

Chekov stepped even closer. Scotty met his eyes and found the lad’s sweet teach-me gaze focused on him in full force. The little tongue slipped out to lick the soft pink lips, making them gleam slightly in the bluish light of the warp core.

"May I?" asked Chekov. "Sir?"

It was a few seconds before Scotty realized he had been asked a question. When his brain finally started up again, he stammered, "Oh, er... yeah. Go ahead." He took his own hand off the tube, cleared his throat and glanced around surreptitiously to see if anyone else was around. The floor below was empty. They were alone. He had no idea if he was okay with that or not.

Chekov laid his hand against the thrumming core and was once again staring at it in wonder. "Yes, I feel it," he said. He looked at Scotty again. "I notice, sometimes, the way you touch. You pet. Like this." He moved his hand as though petting the flank of a horse.

"Oh." Scotty felt his face heat up with an embarrassed blush. He rubbed at the back of his neck. "Noticed that, have ya?"

"Yes," Chekov replied, and good god, his soft little 'yes' sounded like a reply to a question that was much more intimate than what Scotty had asked. "Show me. Show me what you do."

"Ohhh, I dunno 'bout that now. It's kind of... personal."

But the kid was looking at him with _those eyes_ again and Scotty thought his knees were going to give out. He finally agreed just to have something to do besides look at Chekov's face.

"Right, then. Well, it's not anything complicated, really, I just sort of..." He reached out again and laid his hand on the core. He held it there a moment without moving.

"What are you thinking?" asked Chekov.

Scotty closed his eyes, if only to keep himself from looking directly into the burning gaze of the young ensign. "Oh, just that she feels good today. Everything's in working order. And, um, sometimes I'll sort of move my hand around, like you said." He began to do this, sliding his hand in slow circles. "And you can feel the different temperatures in different places if you're really payin' attention. Most don't, of course. Don't think it's important, most of 'em. They're only slight differences, you see, but they're there if you're lookin' for them."

"You can show me?"

Oh, sweet mother of god. Scotty opened his eyes, but didn't look at Chekov just yet. "Well, I'm sure you can feel it on your own if you try."

"I would like to feel what you feel. The way you feel it, sir."

Scotty gulped. "Well... all right, then." He retracted his hand and was surprised when Chekov nudged himself in between him and the railing. Scotty stepped back so his own body wasn't touching the ensign's. Chekov looked expectantly back over his shoulder at Scotty, and Scotty had to immediately avert his eyes from the kid's face. Christ, those eyes...

"Show me," Chekov said, and now his voice was barely above a whisper. Scotty couldn't fight it any longer; he was starting to get hard.

He took hold of Chekov's hand, brought it forward and laid it against the core, his own hand laid gently over top, each of his fingers nestled neatly between each of Chekov's so that he could feel the core's warmth as well. Unfortunately, doing this meant that it was impossible to keep his body completely away from Chekov's. He managed to keep his erection clear of the ensign's ass, but his thigh nudged against one of Chekov's pert little cheeks and his right breast pressed against the back of Chekov's shoulder. Scotty wondered if Chekov could tell he was sweating. He wondered if Chekov could hear his heart pounding.

"Right, so, uh, feel that? The heat's kind of pulsing a bit."

"Yes, Commander." The boy's voice was so soft, not anything like it should've been, not anything like that of an officer who was addressing his superior.

"Uhh..." Scotty said, trying to find his voice, which was threatening to fail him, and trying to ignore the soft, clean smell of Chekov's curls, which were currently right in his face. "So, then I slide my hand around." He began to do this, gently moving Chekov's hand around on the smooth, shiny surface. There was no resistance; Chekov completely gave him control.

"I feel it," whispered Chekov, and Scotty, who could see the boy's profile if he leaned to the side a bit, could see that his eyes were now closed. And unless he was very much mistaken, the weight of the ensign's body against his own had increased. Chekov was leaning back against him ever so slightly.

"The temperature differences," whispered Chekov. "I can feel them."

"Really?"

"Yes, Commander. Right... there." And sure enough Scotty felt their hands pass onto a slightly cooler area just as Chekov said that. "And... right... there." And it happened again, this time onto a warmer area.

"Well, I'll be damned," said Scotty. "You really can feel them."

Chekov looked around at him again, looked right up into his eyes. "I do not lie, Commander. Never."

Scotty felt as though his entire body was quivering with every thunderous heart beat. He licked his lips and said, "Chekov –"

"You will call me Pavel?" Chekov asked, his voice just barely above a whisper, and on the final syllable, his eyebrows quirked upward in the center, and Scotty couldn't stop himself from shuddering.

Scotty pulled away immediately, took his hand off of Chekov's and stepped away. He gripped the safety railing, hunched his shoulders and hung his head.

"Jesus _Christ_ , lad!" he said.

"Have I done something wrong?"

Scotty could just hear the little pout in Chekov's voice. "No, not _technically_." He sighed, straightened up and forced himself to look at Chekov. "I'm your superior."

Chekov nodded earnestly. "Yes."

"You know that."

"Yes."

"Well... well..." Scotty gestured helplessly. _"Well?"_

Chekov looked down for a moment and bit his bottom lip (which really didn't help matters for Scotty in the erection department). It was too easy for Scotty's mind to wander, to imagine his own rough hand reaching out and caressing the skin of Chekov's cheek. Chekov looked so uncertain at the moment, Scotty was very tempted to do just that, if only to make him smile again.

Finally, Chekov opened his mouth and said, "Commander Scott, if there were to be someone in this room right now who I found to be... intriguing... would that be... would that be wrong?" And Chekov raised his eyes to meet Scotty's again. Just his eyes; he kept his face mostly lowered, giving him a lost puppy sort of look. Scotty hoped it was dim enough up here that his erection wasn't noticeable.

" _If_ there were someone in this room you found intriguing?"

"Yes. If."

"Well, no, that in and of itself wouldn't be wrong, no."

Chekov nodded at the floor. "And if I were to step a bit closer," which he did just then, taking two steps to almost completely close the gap between them, "would that be wrong?"

Chekov's voice was growing softer and the room was getting smaller and the temperature was rising and Scotty's pants felt too damn tight and Chekov's young body was radiating heat right _at_ him and good GOD it was like standing next to a blazing star.

Scotty gulped. "No," he squeaked. "That wouldn't technically be wrong."

Chekov hesitated but then finally said, "There is a lot I still need to learn, Commander."

Scotty nodded. "And you're a quick study. Everyone's really impressed with you."

"Everyone?"

Ah. He was asking if Scotty, specifically, was impressed with him. Scotty nodded. "Yes. Everyone."

A soft smile touched the young man's lips and his eyes lit up with hopefulness. "Is there someone," he continued cautiously, "who might be interested in teaching me things?"

Scotty gulped again. "Things?"

Chekov nodded and Scotty could've sworn he was breathing harder. Their knees touched and Scotty practically jumped. Undeterred, Chekov moved closer still until they were pressed right up against each other. There was no hiding his erection now, Scotty thought. But he soon realized he wasn't the only one who was sporting one.

"I am very eager to learn," whispered Chekov, and suddenly his boyish teach-me gaze was all hot and smoldering.

Scotty shook his head. "Why me?"

"Well, sir..." Chekov lowered his eyes, suddenly sheepish, and said coyly, "I did not say it was you."

"Oh." Scotty couldn't help but smile. "We're still playing that, are we? Laddie, you do know that your nob is poking me in the spleen right now, don't ya?"

Chekov grinned and it was as though a solar flare had just lit up the entire room. Of course nothing of the kind had happened. Scotty's pupils were simply dilating like mad. If the lighting up here had indeed been better, and not quite so blue, Scotty was sure he would've been able to see the boy's cheeks turning bright pink. A youthful blush; something Scotty was sure he hadn't been responsible for causing for many years.

"What things are you needing to learn?" Scotty asked, though he had an inkling of what the answer was and it wasn't anything pertaining to Engineering.

Chekov bit his pouty lip again. Scotty wished he wouldn't. It was all he could do to keep from leaning in and biting that lip himself.

Chekov shook his head. "I need to know first if this concerns you? If you would be interested."

He wanted some kind of definitive answer to a question he technically hadn't asked yet. Well, they both knew exactly what he was talking about. It was time to stop playing dumb.

"I'm quite a bit older than you, you know."

"Yes. And wiser. And more experienced. And kind. And gentle. And –"

Scotty held up a hand and winced as though the compliments stung. "Okay, okay, stop that. Sheesh, you've got it bad, don't ya? I didn't do anythin' to cause this, did I?"

Chekov shook his head. "Not on purpose, sir."

"Well, good. Because I'd hate to think that anythin' I did made this happen."

"You speak of it as though it is a disease."

Scotty snorted. "A young thing like you lusting after me? Yeah, I'd call that the result of a brain injury at the very least."

Chekov grinned again, and his eyes were so filled with admiration, Scotty wanted to pat his curly head and tell him to snap out of it. Under any other circumstance, Scotty would've enjoyed such attention. But the last thing he wanted was to be responsible for some kid's heart.

"And you are funny," Chekov said.

"Well..." Scotty shrugged bashfully. He then fixed Chekov with a serious gaze. "You could have anyone on this ship. Everybody loves ya."

Now it was Chekov's turn to be bashful. "I am sure that isn't true, Commander. But it is you that I am intrigued by."

Scotty sighed. What to tell the kid now. He didn't want to hurt him. Maybe they could just hang out, maybe Chekov could be happy with just that. He reached out and patted Chekov's arm. "Come. Let's get out of here." He stepped around Chekov and headed for the stairs. Chekov followed him without question.

Scotty had no idea where he was going when they left Engineering, but where they ended up was Jeffries tube GNDN6-A. Chekov must've really trusted him, because he didn't say a word the whole way there. Neither did Scotty. When they had crawled to the very heart of the tube and sat down side-by-side, Scotty finally spoke again.

"Do you know which tube this is?" asked Scotty.

"Yes. GNDN6-A, sir."

"Very good. And do you know why I've brought ya here?"

Chekov shook his head. "No, sir."

"Well, that's a shame. I was hoping you could tell me." Scotty sighed and leaned back against the tube wall.

Chekov shimmied a bit closer. He was sitting on his hip, facing Scotty, with his knees curled up on his side. "You did not want to take me to your quarters."

Scotty looked at him in surprise. "Well, no. I mean... no, of course not. It's not that I don't find ya attractive. It's just that you're so... you're so..."

"Young," Chekov guessed.

"Yeah! That!" Scotty exhaled heavily, puffing out his cheeks. "I know that you want me to... you know... with you, and I'm very, very flattered, but I'm just not that kind of guy. I don't take ensigns back to my quarters."

Chekov nodded. "I understand. You are a good man."

"Well, I try."

"You know, Commander, it would not be bad to be with me. I am not completely inexperienced."

"I see."

"And I want you to be with me. I like you. But I do not want to, uh, how you say push you."

At that, Chekov looked away and glanced serenely around the interior of the tube. Scotty watched him with mild amazement. Scotty had tons more sexual experience than he did, and yet it was Scotty who was freaked out by all this. Chekov couldn't have been calmer.

"I like this particular tube," said Chekov suddenly. "It has nice, uh... I do not know the word for this..." He frowned and gestured as though literally trying to pull an answer out of the air. "Is, uh... when sound is good."

"Acoustics!" Scotty exclaimed, looking at Chekov in surprise. Chekov smiled his sweet, excited little smile at him and Scotty's belly did flips.

"Yes! That is it! Acoustics! Sound is good here."

"You noticed that? I didn't think anyone else knew that."

"Yes, I notice. When I have to come in here to fix things," Chekov gestured at a closed panel on the wall opposite them, "I sing to myself. Little song my mama used to sing to me as a child."

Scotty smiled at Chekov. "You sing to yourself?"

"Yes. I cannot sing, but I sound almost good here in this tube only. And sometimes," he added, glancing down and blushing prettily, "I like to pretend the ship is joining me."

Scotty stared at him with his mouth hanging open. It was as though Chekov somehow had access to his thoughts.

"You hear it, don't you, Commander?" asked Chekov, looking up into Scotty's eyes again. "The hum of the ship. It has rhythm to it."

Scotty nodded. "Yes, I do hear it. All the time."

Chekov grinned again and nodded. "Yes. Sometimes I hear you humming along." Chekov closed his eyes and hummed, _"HmmmmMmmmmMmmmmMmmmm..."_

Scotty just stared at him. Chekov was humming along with the ship, adding a tiny little lilt to his tone every few seconds, just like the ship did. After a few seconds, Chekov's voice seemed to meld with the ship's hum and Scotty had the disconcerting auditory sensation that Chekov and the ship were one and the same.

"Fucking hell," Scotty whispered. Chekov stopped humming and looked at him quizzically.

"Commander?"

Scotty shook his head. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to curse, but... ya sound just like her."

Chekov grinned. "The Enterprise?"

"Yeah. You've got the exact pitch and frequency right and everything. It's eerie. In a good way."

Chekov grinned more. "You like?"

Scotty nodded. "Yeah. You noticed that I do that too, have you? That I hum."

"Yes. All the time you hum while you work. I like to listen. You have a nice voice."

Scotty swallowed. His heart was pounding rather harder than normal, he felt uncomfortably warm and the light suddenly seemed a lot brighter again. He looked away and quietly said, "You're a really sweet kid."

Chekov scooted even closer. "Not kid. I am almost eighteen."

Scotty met his eyes again and he must have looked worried, because Chekov then asked, "What is wrong, Commander?"

"I'm a little afraid of what you're making me feel here."

"What I make you feel?"

Chekov's face was once again unnervingly close and their breath was mingling and this kid could _hum_ like the fucking _Enterprise_ and he had the most kissable, petal-pink mouth Scotty had ever seen...

Scotty leaned toward him in jerky, nervous movements, and when their lips met, Scotty was actually a little surprised, so much so that a tiny little whimper escaped him. The kiss was soft and awkward and chaste and brief, and when their lips parted, Scotty looked, wide-eyed, at Chekov while Chekov stared at him with excited wonder in his big, baby's eyes.

"Please tell me that wasn't your first kiss," said Scotty a bit breathlessly. "Because if it was, I'm so sorry I couldn't do better than that."

Chekov smiled broadly, his softly-blushing cheeks dimpling attractively. He shook his head. "No, Commander. Not my first."

"Good."

Chekov's smile softened and then disappeared altogether and he looked at Scotty with a sweet, almost coy look in his eyes. He cuddled up even closer, laid a hand on Scotty's thigh and whispered. "Am I out of line, Commander?"

Scotty gulped and glanced down at that hand for a moment. Chekov clearly was out of line. But Scotty knew Chekov wasn't talking about official protocol. He was asking what Scotty wanted. "No," Scotty finally answered. "You're not out of line."

Chekov nodded and his eyes dropped down to look at Scotty's lips as he leaned in and kissed Scotty again.

This time Chekov licked inside Scotty's mouth, gingerly at first and then going deeper, exploring, tasting. Guilt was still swelling in Scotty's chest, but Scotty's rapidly growing lust was a formidable opponent. Scotty slipped his hands onto Chekov's waist, the small part of his brain that still had blood in it telling him _No, don't touch, wrong, wrong, wrong!_ But then Chekov made a soft, needy little noise and that little bit of blood left Scotty's brain and headed South. Scotty made an answering noise, kissed deeper, pulled Chekov more snugly against himself. And then they went down together. Scotty wasn't sure if it was him pushing Chekov or Chekov pulling him.

Scotty laid on top of Chekov, careful not to put his full weight on him. He pushed his hardness against Chekov's and Chekov pushed right back. Chekov was pulling at his shirt and then finally got his hands up underneath it to caress Scotty skin. Scotty shivered at the touch. He kissed his way down to Chekov's neck, impatiently pulled the black neck of his uniform out of the way and went about kissing the pretty, pale skin underneath. Chekov arched, offering his neck to be sucked and kissed.

"Commander," he moaned. "Oh, Commander."

Fuck. Should Scotty allow Chekov to call him that during... _this_? He didn't think it was the time to bring it up, not while Chekov was becoming increasingly aroused, breathing faster and harder and moaning more and more, not while Scotty was slowly working his way down Chekov's body, pushing his shirt up to kiss the soft, delicate skin of his belly, dipping his tongue into the naval.

His face was soon level with Chekov's crotch. He hesitated, looked up at Chekov and Chekov looked down at him. The ensign's gaze was dark and hungry. Chekov seemed to know why Scotty had stopped. He gave Scotty a little nod; he wanted Scotty to proceed.

In his lust-dazed state, that was all the confirmation Scotty needed. He made short work of the fastenings of Chekov's pants, pulled down the front of his underwear and revealed his very hard prick. There was no more hesitation. He leaned right down and licked a wet stripe right up the shaft.

Chekov, who'd propped himself up on his elbows to watch, gasped with pleasure. Scotty watched his face while he took Chekov's entire cock into his mouth and began to suck.

Scotty wasn't normally so eager to be with men. There had a been a couple of alcohol-fueled incidents, but Scotty didn't talk about them. What was so different about Chekov? Was it his youth? His sweet, angelic face? His earnestness, his genuine enthusiasm? His intelligence, maybe? A combination, Scotty suspected. Plus, there was all that business Spock had mentioned about chemistry. As Scotty took all of Chekov into his mouth, all the way to back of his throat, his nose dipped close to the soft bed of curls at Chekov's crotch. Scotty inhaled and his eyelids fluttered involuntarily. If he'd been standing, his knees would've given out. This boy's musky heat smelled like heaven.

Chekov had spread his legs around Scotty and was now reaching a hand toward Scotty's face. He brushed the backs of his fingers down along Scotty's cheek and then back up again, caressing him while he gently pushed up into Scotty's mouth. He looked almost helpless lying there, spread out like that, and Scotty felt that little twinge of guilt again, but then Chekov moaned and for a moment hit the exact right pitch of the Enterprise's hum. Scotty stopped sucking and stared at him, slack-jawed and completely smitten.

"What is wrong?" Chekov whispered, still stroking Scotty's face.

"Do it again," Scotty said. "The humming."

A soft smile touched Chekov's lips. "Now?"

"Yes, now. It's... I just... I like it," Scotty admitted sheepishly. He hated to admit how much that humming coming from another living being actually did for him. Judging by the slightly cocky look on Chekov's face, Chekov could tell.

Chekov put his pretty, pink lips together, inhaled deeply through his nose and, with that hint of a smile still on his lips, began to softly hum along with the ship. The effect was immediate; Scotty's groin pulsed with need and his eyes almost rolled up in his head. He felt thoroughly embarrassed that something like that could affect him so strongly.

Chekov bit his bottom lip as he hummed and his eyes were absolutely smoldering. Scotty needed to be closer to him. He got up on his knees and, with shaky hands, got his pants undone and pulled out his hard cock. He'd intended to lie down with Chekov again, but Chekov had other ideas.

He stopped humming and sat up, eyes glued to Scotty's erection. The smile dissolved from his face and he shifted so he could shimmy closer to Scotty and get his face closer to Scotty's hard-on.

"You don't have to," Scotty said. Chekov looked up at him, but said nothing as he began to experimentally lick and kiss Scotty's prick.

And he started the humming again. Scotty watched him, watched that sweet face with its pretty mouth perform one of the most intimate acts in the universe (and god, the kid was looking right up at him with those big eyes of his while he did it), and Chekov's voice melded with the ship's again. It shook a bit as he really began to suck, but it was still enough to make Scotty's prick jerk in his mouth. Scotty petted the soft curls on his head.

"Fuck, you glorious creature," Scotty whispered. He couldn't stand it any longer, he needed Chekov in his arms. He cupped Chekov's face and carefully pulled out of his mouth. The humming stopped. "Lie back down," he said. Chekov went where Scotty guided him, eyes locked with Scotty's as they lay down together. Scotty quickly lubricated them both with saliva and carefully lined up their cocks. He stared down into Chekov's eyes as he began to hump him.

Chekov clung to Scotty's shirt and rubbed up against him too. He closed his eyes as his rubbing became more urgent, his breathing quicker and more erratic. He was coming undone.

"Going to... come... Commander," Chekov panted.

"Do it. Come for me. Fuck."

Chekov bucked up against him hard and began to come, arching his neck and crying out, looking completely helpless and utterly delicious. Scotty couldn't hold out looking down at a sight like that. He began to come as well.

Their voices echoed throughout the tube. Scotty vaguely wondered if anyone might be passing by at that moment and hearing them, but he was too far gone to really care. Chekov looked far too lovely unraveling underneath him for him to care.

When Chekov opened his eyes, he found Scotty staring down at him. They stared at each other as the pleasure died away, and then Chekov smiled lazily up at him.

"Good for you?" Scotty asked.

"Very," Chekov whispered.

Scotty slid off of him with a grunt and settled next to Chekov, facing him. "Feel like I should've bought you dinner first or something."

Chekov shook his head. "Not hungry."

Their eyes locked again and Scotty understood the hot, almost determined look in the younger man's eyes. He laid a hand on Chekov's stomach and asked, "You... want to go back to my quarters?"

Chekov nodded. "Yes, please."

That 'please' just about made Scotty's heart melt. He nodded and helped tuck Chekov back inside his underwear. They cleaned up as best they could and proceeded to crawl out of the Jeffries tube. Chekov went ahead, and once he was clear, Scotty poked his head out and scanned the empty corridor. He had images in his head of the captain's smirking face and knowing gaze peeking at them around a corner, but there was no one around. Scotty breathed a sigh of relief and crawled out.

Back at Scotty's quarters, Scotty discovered exactly how sensitive Chekov's body was. When Chekov finally stood naked before him, all that soft, pale skin offered up like the most wonderful buffet in the universe, Scotty reached out to touch him, running his fingers down the ensign's chest and stomach. Chekov sucked in a soft breath as Scotty's fingers grazed his nipples and Scotty watched the little pink nubs instantly harden in his fingers' wake. Scotty's fingers traversed the trail of hair leading down from Chekov's belly button and Chekov shuddered. Chekov was still squirming as Scotty's fingers glided along the edge of his pubic hair, over his hip bones and around to his back where they traveled up along his spine, making Chekov arch and cling to Scotty.

Chekov was rock-hard again by the time Scotty got his own clothes off, and Scotty's cock was waking up again too. He laid the teenager down on his bed and kissed and touched him all over, delighting in the way Chekov squirmed and whimpered and sighed the odd word or sentence in Russian. Chekov turned over onto his belly, put a pillow beneath his hips to raise his ass up a bit, and Scotty buried his face in him, greedily, but carefully, licking and probing with his fingers, stretching him, preparing him.

"I am ready, Commander," Chekov suddenly whispered. He raised his head and looked over his shoulder at Scotty with sleepy eyes.

Scotty stopped licking and blinked at him. "Yeah? You sure?"

Chekov nodded.

With a gulp, Scotty sat up, wiped his mouth and set to work lubricating himself. Chekov twisted around more to watch, his eyes focused on Scotty's dick. God, he looked so young.

Scotty positioned himself over Chekov's body, between his legs. Chekov put his head down again and Scotty stared down at his profile. He looked calm enough, Scotty thought, but he knew the boy must be nervous as hell. He had to be. Even Scotty was feeling shaky and uncertain.

He nudged against Chekov's entrance. Chekov frowned and closed his eyes. Scotty brushed his lips against Chekov's ear.

"You okay?" Scotty whispered.

Chekov nodded, the intensity on his face increasing as Scotty began to push inside. He whimpered and turned his face into the pillow. His breaths came harder and quicker and he groaned.

Scotty knew there was little he could do to prevent this from being painful for him, at least at first. People did this all the time, he reasoned. He himself had done this before. You get used to it. It would start to feel good after a while. Chekov was young and resilient, he would adjust quickly. Besides, he had experience, he'd said so. Maybe he had done this before.

 _Oh, fuck it all to hell,_ Scotty thought and he pulled out what little of himself he'd managed to get inside. He lowered himself to the bed next to Chekov. Chekov opened his eyes and looked at him quizzically.

"I can't," Scotty said.

Chekov raised his head again. "I can do it," he insisted, but Scotty shook his head.

"No." He held his arms open to Chekov and, looking a little confused, Chekov slid close and cuddled up to him. Scotty embraced him and said, "I'm sorry."

"What is wrong, Commander?"

"You're too young. And too... _tight_. I'll hurt you."

"It will only hurt for a while. I can take it."

"Well, I'm not sure I can."

"Would it help if I hummed?"

Scotty smiled. "It might. But I don't want you to change my mind, I'd just feel guilty afterward." Scotty looked down at him. "There are lots of other things we can do, though."

Chekov looked up at him while he moved a hand down between Scotty's legs. He gripped Scotty lube-slicked length and began stroking him while looking directly into his eyes. A little smile touched his lips and he began to hum.

"I'm not fucking you," Scotty insisted, but Chekov ignored him. He buried his face in Scotty's neck and stroked him faster. The humming vibrated softly against Scotty's throat. God, it was like the ship was _inside_ him.

Scotty reached down and began stroking Chekov as well. "You do realize, lad, that now every time I tune into the ship's humming, I'm gonna get a big stiffy."

He felt Chekov smile against his neck and the humming was interrupted by a soft giggle. Scotty held him tighter and they stroked each other until they both came again, shuddering in each other's arms, Chekov's little hum dissolving into shaky moaning, hard grunting and ragged panting. They finally came down together with soft whimpers from Chekov and soft curse words from Scotty.

"You mentioned you already had some experience," said Scotty. "Was any of this new to you?"

"Yes. First time with a man."

"Ah. Well, I'm sorry I couldn't follow through. I wanted to."

Chekov looked up at him. "It was beautiful, Commander," he whispered. "But we are not finished yet, are we?"

Scotty's eyebrows went up. "I'm sorry?"

"There is so much you can show me, no? And... perhaps a few things I can show you."

Scotty had to laugh. "Well, that's certainly intriguing. But you know, I'm a bit older than you. My bits don't work the same way they used to."

Chekov grinned and nudged his head up underneath Scotty's chin. "I can wait. I will be ready when you are."

Scotty snorted as he stroked Chekov's back. "I bet you will. Ah, youth."

END


	2. Technobabble

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chekov is still underage and Scotty simply cannot forget it. But age does become slightly less important when the ensign's tongue and pretty mouth are tripping adorably over words like "gravitational".

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alas, I cannot take credit for the technobabble. It was created by the [Treknobabble Generator](http://maycontainnuts.me.uk/treknobabble/default.htm).

"Say it again," Scotty whispered as he brushed his lips against the delicate shell of Pavel's ear. He heard the ensign laugh softly.

"Why should I say it again?"

"Because I want to hear it."

"It has something to do with fucking?"

"No, not as such..."

"Then why?" Pavel rolled over in Scotty's arms to face him. Scotty felt Pavel's rigid cock press against his own and felt instantly like part of his brain was shutting down due to lack of blood flow. He held Pavel snugly against himself, his slender body feeling both delicate and solid under his touch.

"Because," said Scotty, "I like the way it sounds when you say it."

Pavel rolled his eyes. "Okay. I will say it once more." He cleared his throat. Scotty focused on Pavel's sweet little mouth and his belly tingled with anticipation. Pavel's tongue slipped out to moisten his lips, and yet another quadrant of Scotty's brain went dead.

"You are ready?" asked Pavel.

"Uh-huh," Scotty replied, still staring at Pavel's mouth.

"Okay." Pavel licked his lips again, took a breath and breathed the word, _"Gravitational."_

Scotty shuddered and emitted a needy little groan. Pavel giggled.

"What is that? Why do you like that so much?"

"Your accent, lad," Scotty murmured, cuddling Pavel even more.

"What about my accent?"

"I like it."

"Better than your own?"

"What? Don't be daft, I don't have an accent. It's you and everybody else that has the accents."

"You are being silly," Pavel whispered, brushing his lips against Scotty's. "Is this normal, this accent fetish? You are like this with everyone you have been with?"

"No, lad, just you," Scotty replied, dragging his fingertips up and down Pavel's spine, making the boy shiver and arch in his arms.

"I am special, then?"

"Damn right you are."

Pavel smiled against his mouth and continued to squirm as Scotty's fingers danced teasingly all over his skin.

"What is it you like?" whispered Pavel as he rubbed himself against Scotty. "What specifically?"

"About your accent? The Vs. I love the Vs."

Pavel nodded knowingly. "I see. You think it is cute how I pronounce things."

"Hot as hell, more like."

"So, you like when I say... _graviton_."

"Oh, yes," Scotty groaned, and he pressed his face to Pavel's cheek, kissing and smelling his soft skin and hugging him tight.

Pavel wriggled in his arms and sighed with arousal as Scotty's hand glided down over his ass, squeezing and massaging. "And you like when I say... _verteron_."

Scotty pushed against Pavel, gently at first, but quickly becoming more rough as he nudged Pavel over onto his back and settled on top of him. "More," he groaned into Pavel's neck as he humped him. "Say anything. _Anything_."

"What should I say, Commander?"

Scotty loved when Pavel called him that, especially while they were rubbing their dicks together.

"Should I say something about the sub-atomic resonance of dilithium crystals?"

"Mmph," Scotty grunted as he sucked at Pavel's skin.

"Should I talk about the flow of the chronoton particles from the isolinear data chips? Oh... ohhh..." Pavel arched his neck, pushing up against Scotty's mouth. Scotty sucked greedily, determined to leave the biggest, reddest mark against that achingly pale skin. This boy was his. This perfect little genius belonged to him and he was beginning to not care who knew it.

"Commander," Pavel moaned, rolling his hips in a slow, circular motion. "Do you remember the time we ionized the polarity of the anti-matter injectors to... to... oh god."

"To what?" Scotty demanded, leaving a trail of wet kisses all the way up Pavel's neck and along his jaw. His wet lips finally settled at Pavel's chin where they kissed some more and his teeth nibbled. "To do what, love? Tell me."

Pavel whined. His eyes had grown sleepy and dreamy and the loveliest blush had spread across his cheeks. "To create the quantum filament alignment in the warp core."

"Oh, fuck," Scotty sighed and went nibbling all the way back down Pavel's neck.

"Remember that?"

"Yeah."

"You liked that, didn't you?" asked Pavel, and there was the slightest hint of a growl in his sweet voice. "You liked doing that with me."

"Yes. God, yes."

"And you remember when we reversed the flow of phase-modulated chronoton particles from the annular confinement beam?"

"Mm-hm."

"Why did we do that, Commander?" asked Pavel as he slipped a hand up and over Scotty's thinning hair. Once upon a time, Pavel's age made Scotty quite self-conscious about his own age and appearance. Those days were gone, however, and never stood a chance, not when the boy writhed and moaned this way when Scotty touched him, not when he spread his legs for Scotty at the drop of a hat, not when he was always so eager to take Scotty in his mouth.

"Remember why we did that?" Pavel asked again.

"To... generate enough power in a phased carrier wave in the... nucleocentric containment matrix," Scotty panted, and Pavel arched and emitted such a filthy-sounding groan that Scotty was pretty sure what little blood had remained in his brain had just drained away.

With a growl, Scotty rolled them over so that Pavel was on top. He gripped Pavel's waist and pushed up against him in a rough, desperate rhythm.

Pavel put his mouth to Scotty's ear. "You pretend I am her sometimes, don't you?" he whispered, rocking his hips in time with Scotty.

The question would have embarrassed Scotty if every sense he had hadn't already been so preoccupied with the proceedings. "No," he breathed. "I wouldn't –"

"You are lying, Commander. I know you pretend I am her. You pretend my mouth is one of her many little tubes when you fuck my face, don't you? That is why you like me to hum like her when I suck you, isn't that right?"

"Oh, god. Pavel, I –"

"Is okay, Commander. I like to pretend with you." Pavel sat up a bit, took hold of Scotty's hands and slowly moved them up and down the sides of his torso as he gazed down into Scotty's eyes. "You like how smooth I am. Smooth and warm, like warp core, no?"

Scotty's thrusts slowed as he stared and watched his large hands on the boy's narrow body. If he closed his eyes he really could pretend it was the warp core he was feeling (he was more than a little ashamed to admit he'd done it before), but the sight of Pavel writhing on top of him was just too good to ignore.

Pavel put his lips to Scotty's ear again. "Want me to hum for you?"

Well, Scotty always liked when Pavel did that, and he was tempted to say yes. But no. Not this time.

"No," he said, caressing Pavel's back. "Not tonight."

"Why not?"

"Because I just want you, Pavel. I just want you and your sweet accent and your words, okay? You don't have to be the ship for me every time."

Pavel looked at him. "But you like it when I hum like the ship. And how else will I convince you to fuck me?"

Scotty smiled. "Not until you're eighteen."

Pavel pouted and rubbed against Scotty harder in frustration. "But that is months away."

"Oi! You're lucky I'm in bed with you at all, young man, considering how wrong this is."

Pavel smiled and snuggled Scotty, nuzzling his face. "Yes, I am lucky. I am _very, very_ lucky." He emphasized each "very" with a hard little thrust of his hips. Scotty groaned at the friction and at the adorably incorrect pronunciation.

"Talk to me, love," he whispered, wrapping his arms tight around Pavel's body, determined not to let go until he'd made the boy shoot his load. "Talk more about all the things we've done together."

"What is in it for me? What you will give me if I talk to you now?"

Scotty chuckled. "A negotiation?"

"Yes. I give you tech talk and I hum like ship lots of times for you."

"You're right. You're very good to me."

"Well then?"

Scotty laughed. "You're a piece of work, aren't you? Okay, do this for me one more time and... we can renegotiate this waiting-until-you're-eighteen thing. How about that?"

"What does this mean, 'renegotiate'?"

"You know what it means."

"I know what the word means. I want to know what _you_ mean."

"I mean we can discuss moving the date up a bit."

"The date."

"The date that I finally fuck you."

"Ohhh." Pavel smiled at him. "You would do that? Really?"

"I might. If you're good."

Pavel pressed a soft kiss to Scotty's cheek and whispered, "I will be good, Commander. I will be good and tell you how much I liked it when we reset the positronic charge from the impulse engines. Remember that?"

"Ungh," Scotty grunted and resumed rubbing up against Pavel hard and fast. "I remember. Fuck, you were so good."

"As good as when I suggested that we re-initialize the resonant frequency field of the polaron beam?"

"Oh, yeah," Scotty groaned. "We did that to... counteract the field inversion to the... to the... Say it, baby. Come on, say it for me, the field inversion to the what?"

Pavel was all hot panting and moaning now, noises that made him sound somehow younger than he was, all helpless and vulnerable, noises that went straight to Scotty's groin, made him cling to Pavel even harder, made him want to protect him and give him all the pleasure in the world. What the hell was he waiting for? Pavel wasn't a child. What were a few more months, really? He was plenty mature and more intelligent than most adults Scotty knew. He was the most impressive young man Scotty had ever met. And he was gorgeous and wanted Scotty to have sex with him, for Christ sakes! Scotty was starting to think he must be quite mad to keep on saying no to him.

"We did that," Pavel whispered, "to counteract the field inversion –"

"Unnnggghuhghgn," Scotty whimpered.

"– to the _gravometric vortex_. Didn't we, Commander?"

"Oh, that did it, I'm coming. I'm coming... oh, shit."

Pavel's rubbing and wriggling became erratic and Scotty knew he was coming too. Scotty held him tighter, one hand going up into Pavel's curls, gripping them just tight enough to convey the ownership he felt.

"I'm gonna fuck you, love," he whispered, his voice shaking from his climax. "I'm gonna give it to you good and hard, I promise."

"Soon?" Pavel whispered. "You will give it to me soon?"

"Oh, yeah, and I'm gonna fuck you so good, you won't have proper use of your legs for a week afterward."

Pavel's body emptied all over Scotty's stomach, his come mixing with Scotty's and lubricating their grind. Pavel made the most wonderful, lusty noises and his tongue lapped at Scotty's neck in the most obscene way. There was something terribly cute, but hot, and sweet, but dirty too, about this boy wriggling and wallowing in the mess they were making together. Oh, yes, Scotty was definitely going to fuck him. Eight ways from Sunday. Very soon. Maybe tonight. How he'd resisted this long was beyond him. This was practically fucking anyway, what they were doing right now.

They both finally relaxed and Scotty rolled them onto their sides, keeping Pavel securely in his arms. Pavel lay there catching his breath, his eyes closed. Scotty stared at him in awe of his undeniable youth, and then it hit him, as it always did when they lay together like this, exhausted and sated, the inhibitions seeping back into Scotty's brain. It always hit him like a big sack of underage bricks: Pavel was seventeen.

"Ah, hell," Scotty grumbled and rolled onto his back. Pavel opened his eyes, whimpered and chased after him to snuggle up again.

"What is wrong?" asked Pavel.

"Nothing."

"When you will take me? Tell me."

"What, you want an exact date?"

"Yes. Negotiation begins now."

"Christ, child, let me catch my breath first."

"No. And don't call me 'child'."

"Yeah, you're right. That is a bit creepy, isn't it?"

Pavel raised his head and looked at Scotty. "When? Tell me when."

That familiar sense of dirty-bad-wrongness was creeping into Scotty's chest as he stared up at Pavel's boyish face. He'd never been one to go back on a promise. But promises made during sex, during _climax_ , didn't really count, did they? Scotty sighed.

"Soon, Pavel, soon," he said, rubbing Pavel's back.

"How soon is soon?"

"Soon" was a subjective term. Pavel's birthday was in six months. That was soon, wasn't it?

Scotty looked at Pavel apologetically, reached up and stroked his hair. "Just... just soon. Okay?"

Pavel's shoulders slumped a bit. Scotty felt like the boy's eyes could see right into him, see exactly what he was thinking. He had to force himself to hold Pavel's gaze.

Finally, Pavel nodded, looking defeated. "Okay," he said and he put his head back down on Scotty's chest.

END


	3. The Places We Began

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They began with a pitch-perfect hum inside a Jeffries tube. They began with a not so innocent touch up by the warp core. They began with a little bit of hero worship. They began with a cut ankle and a little boy waving at a stranger.

The ship tipped violently. Structural integrity was degrading rapidly and they were looking at total systems failure in less than five minutes.

Things did not look good.

The space creature (which Captain Kirk had named Bob back when it had seemed harmless and even friendly) in orbit around the class M planet meant business. The thing was, for some reason, protecting the planet with its life. Some speculated that Bob was female and had decided the planet was its child; the planet was certainly small enough, in comparison to Bob, to be the space creature's offspring and was about the right color too. Unfortunately, reasoning with the creature had proven impossible and no matter what the _Enterprise_ did, the creature thought they were trying to do harm. Two of their men were still down on the surface. They needed to beam them back up before they could retreat. The creature was having none of that, however, and was currently sucking the life out of the _Enterprise_ with some kind of tentacle.

Bob was huge, much larger than the _Enterprise_ , and was mottled gray and blob-like (ohhhh, Bob the Blob; Pavel just got that and would have laughed if he wasn't currently fighting for his life). It could extend tentacle-like appendages from its body when it needed to. It was like a giant piece of gum that someone was stretching, except that gum didn't usually try to kill you.

"Transporters are offline, Captain!" said Hikaru – Lt. Sulu – shouting to be heard over the sound of the ship falling apart around them. The bridge was dark, the lights having dimmed a few minutes ago and replaced by the back-ups, which weren't nearly as bright. "We'll lose power to the phasers in thirty seconds!"

"They're pretty much useless against the thing anyway," said Kirk. "SCOTTY! Where are you? What's going on?"

 _"I'm right here, Captain!"_ said the chief engineer over the comm system. Pavel's heart skipped at the sound of his voice.

"Please tell me you've got good news," said Kirk. "We can't hang around much longer. We need those warp engines and we need the transporters back online pronto!"

 _"Uh, okay, I'm redirecting power to the transporters! Once we've got Gershey and Harris I'll get the warp engines back online. I can give you approximately one minute to beam them back up, after that I can't promise anything!"_

"Do it, Scotty!" yelled the captain as a particularly ominous-sounding crack came from somewhere off to the left. Pavel winced. Provided they got out of this alive, the ship would be repaired and would be fine. Still, it hurt to hear her breaking up. Every crack felt personal. In fact, Pavel was certain he could feel the damage inside himself. He'd watched Scotty worship the ship enough, watched his hands caress her and tinker with her with such a deft, delicate and loving touch, that Pavel had come to see the ship as a living, breathing and very sensitive thing. She wasn't a machine; she was an entity.

Down in Engineering, Scotty would be trying to drown out the sounds of his precious lady bending and creaking ominously around him. He'd try to drown it out so that he could focus on the task of saving her and everyone on board her. Repairs could wait. She was a tough old broad, as he was fond of saying, and she could manage for a while without his tender touch to soothe her. She would hold on for him. Pavel took a deep breath, puffing out his chest. If she could wait, then so could he.

Pavel remembered following Scotty around like a puppy in the early days, before they'd gotten together, absorbing information, watching Scotty move effortlessly around inside the ship like he was always supposed to have been there. Pavel jumped at any opportunity for hands-on experience, letting Scotty guide his hands deep inside access panels, letting Scotty hold his fingers to regulate the pressure they exerted on the delicate insides of his ship. "Not so hard," he'd gently say as his fingers entwined with Pavel's. "Just hold on... hold on..." And they'd stay there like that, pressed against each other, waiting for something, and Pavel would wonder why they were waiting, why they weren't pulling or pushing or turning or switching, or whatever it was they were elbow-deep in a panel for, but Scotty was always patient and watchful, and his body and his hands were so warm and steady and knowing and reassuring, and sometimes he'd close his eyes, as though cutting off one sense made his hearing and touch that much more accurate, and then he'd say, "Wait for it... and... now." And they'd slip a chip into place or flip a switch, and it was always so perfect, and Pavel would let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, and Scotty would ask, "You shaking, lad?" with a chuckle that made his eyes crinkle at the corners, and Pavel would have to dismiss the question with a silly little joke, meanwhile his insides would be quivering.

Pavel knew it was a cliché, but it really did feel like an eternity from Scotty's last word to the moment a report came in from the transporter room saying that transporters were back online. Damage reports had come in from all over the ship. Pavel's heart raced with each report. He was just waiting to hear that Engineering had been engulfed in flames or had collapsed in on itself or something equally horrible. Some evil little voice deep down inside him kept on whispering that things had been going too smoothly between him and Scotty, and since Pavel was clearly such an ungrateful little brat, some terrible disaster meant to tear them apart was long overdue. He hadn't told Scotty he loved him yet, though he was sure Scotty knew, just like Pavel was certain Scotty loved him even though he'd never said it.

Pavel thought back to the moment he'd realized it. It had been months ago and the two of them had been secretly locked away in Scotty's quarters. It was the morning after a particularly spectacular night of lovemaking (without actual penetration, of course) and Pavel had woken up alone in bed in the dark. Scotty wasn't a quiet man. He snored when asleep, and when awake he hummed or whistled or muttered little snippets of songs Pavel had never heard, so it was easy to tell when Scotty wasn't around. The only noise was the ticking and barely audible beeping of the various little gadgets, little side projects, Scotty had scattered about. The tiny motion detector he'd constructed for fun sat whirring softly on the bedside table, its little turntable spinning rather slowly because Pavel was barely moving, and across the room on Scotty's desk, little multi-colored lights blinked merrily at Pavel in the darkness.

Just as he was wondering where Scotty had gotten to, the man had reappeared, stepping into the room and asking the computer to turn on the lights, his movement causing the motion detector to whir more persistently. His hands were full of breakfast-type items – bagels and muffins, little pots of butter substitute and jam and a little basket of mixed berries – all wrapped in a tea towel, bundled up and held in Scotty's fist by its ends. He was also carrying a metal tray that held tea and all the things necessary for tea.

He'd come in, in his pajamas and slippers, big grin on his face, tea tray rattling, stepping over the various items strewn across his floor (his and Pavel's clothes and shoes, books, a coffee cup for some reason – the list went on and only got stranger) and said, "Morning! Didn't want to wake you, so I just nipped out for a bit to grab us breakfast." He'd set everything down on the bed, sat next to Pavel, careful not to jostle things too much, and then leaned over to kiss Pavel's cheek. "You know, they hate it when you sneak into the kitchens and nick things. Dunno what the difference is; we'll be eating that food anyway. You like grape jam, don't you? I prefer strawberry myself, but I wanted to get you something you'd like. Oh! They had those infernal blueberry bagels you like. Dunno how you can eat those, but I got you one anyway. Never woulda pegged you for a blueberry bagel man, but it just goes to show. You're like the ship, you know. I learned a lotta things in school about optimum operating conditions and the right way to calibrate this or that, but you don't know until you get there, really. You can learn basics, theory and whatnot, but each vessel is different. What one ship likes isn't necessarily going to tickle the fancy of another, and the _Enterprise_ is the most unique ship I've ever had the pleasure of laying my hands on." He'd smiled over at Pavel then. "And I could say the same for you, you know, lad."

Pavel loved that, being compared to Scotty's ship. He'd practically squirmed with delight in that moment as Scotty's eyes smiled at him. As passionate as Scotty was about the _Enterprise_ , it was high praise indeed.

Scotty had gone on and on like that, rambling while he prepared a cup of tea for Pavel, buttering the blueberry bagel for him, pausing once to pop a raspberry into Pavel's mouth just at the moment Pavel had been eying the berries with interest. Pavel had sat there quietly, watching, and wondering **a)** when Scotty was going to take a breath, and **b)** when Scotty had taken note of little things like how Pavel liked his tea or the fact that he liked blueberry bagels and preferred grape jam. Pavel had never mentioned these things. Well, he supposed it wasn't so strange that Scotty would notice. Pavel had noticed lots of things about Scotty that Scotty had never mentioned, like exactly how he liked the subspace sensors calibrated and how he always craved this one particular type of inky blue-black hard candy, especially in the early afternoons, which Pavel had never heard of before. Scotty had actually been quite surprised when Pavel had returned from that space station that one time with the biggest bag of Icoberry Drops Scotty had ever seen. He'd been very pleasantly surprised, because he'd never mentioned to Pavel what that candy was, and Pavel had never asked or actually eaten one himself. All Pavel knew was that they made Scotty's tongue taste all sweet and tangy... and blue. Not just blue in color, but also in flavor. Yes, Pavel was quite certain now that Icoberry fruit tasted like _blue_ , which Scotty thought was rather amusing. At any rate, Pavel had remembered that flavor and recognized it, even without that special Scotty taste mixed in.

As he'd listened to Scotty ramble that morning and watched him prepare their breakfast, he'd realized that he was in love with the chief engineer. Just like that. He'd never been in love before, and he was certain that some would claim he was too young to know anything about it. But they said you were just supposed to _know_ , didn't they? Well, Pavel knew. He could feel it. And Scotty; his eyes twinkled as he'd handed Pavel his tea and fed him little pieces of buttered blueberry bagel with his fingers, and Pavel was certain that he could see his own feelings reflected in those grayish-blue eyes.

And that is how Pavel realized that they were in love. But he never said anything. Because Scotty hadn't said anything. Maybe Scotty hadn't realized it himself yet, and Pavel hadn't wanted to frighten him away. Now he might never get to say it.

 _"We've got them, Captain!"_ came a frantic and relieved female voice from the transporter room.

"Thank god!" Kirk cried. "Scotty, get us the hell out of here!"

 _"I'm on it, Captain! Taking transporters offline... rerouting power back to the warp engines..."_

They'd attempted to shake Bob's power-sucking tentacle with evasive maneuvers, but that hadn't worked. The only way to lose him (Pavel was starting to think of it as a he now, even though Bob seemed, for all intents and purposes, like an angry mother) was to fly off at warp speed. At least, that's what everyone assumed, anyway. It was possible Bob would cling even at warp, but they were all betting that he wouldn't want to end up light years away from his beloved planet baby.

"Structural integrity down to seventy-eight percent!" reported Hikaru. "Captain, we can't stay here much longer!"

"I know! Scotty, work the magic!"

 _"I'm tryin', Captain!"_

The ship rocked to the right and something like an explosion could be heard over the comm. When they were relatively stable again, everyone went back to what they'd been doing, but they were all waiting, waiting for damage reports, death reports, waiting to hear Scotty's voice again.

"Mr. Scott!" called Kirk. "Come in, Scotty, do you read me?"

Seconds went by. Nothing. Pavel kept his mind busy because listening to the silence hurt too much. He thought instead about seeing Scotty again, about them all getting out of this alive so that he could tell Scotty exactly how he felt. He thought about how nearly losing their lives would finally make Scotty realize how ridiculous it was to force them both to wait for Pavel's eighteenth birthday before letting Pavel have all of him. It was maddening and pointless. They'd done everything else, so why wait for this one little thing?

But it wasn't a little thing (Pavel almost had to smile at the possible pun there). Pavel wanted it so badly, despite everything else they'd already done together, because really it was a big deal. He wanted that connection to Scotty, he craved it. Not that he didn't feel connected to Scotty; Pavel felt more connected to him than he ever had to anyone else. And sex wasn't everything. Their relationship was beautiful as it was. Pavel shouldn't have felt like something was missing, but he did. There was a certain _completeness_ that he craved and that kept eluding him. It shouldn't matter. It really, really shouldn't. But it did.

And the thought that he was going to die without ever having had actual intercourse with the man he loved was rather depressing.

He'd gotten rather upset with Scotty the last time they'd been together. They'd been in bed and things had been getting all hot and steamy and Scotty had been on his way down to pleasure Pavel with his mouth, but Pavel had stopped him.

"Please," Pavel had begged, kissing Scotty's face while his hands caressed all over the older man's back. "Please put it in me. Pleeeeeease."

"We've been through this. No. It feels wrong."

"How?" Pavel had asked, his tone switching from intimate to exasperated. "How does that feel wrong when all the other things we do together don't?"

"They feel wrong too," Scotty had argued, pushing up on his elbows. "You have no idea how guilty I feel about all this."

"Then why do you do it? If I am such a fucking baby, why are you with me at all?"

"You're not a baby. And I'm with you because..." Scotty had trailed off, made a noise of frustration and rolled away, onto his back at Pavel's side.

"Because what?" Pavel demanded.

"Because... I can't resist you, all right?" Scotty looked over at him with a soft, pleading look in his eyes. "Do you have any idea what it's like for me having someone as smart and beautiful and _under-fucking-age_ as you throwing himself at me all the time?"

"Poor thing," Pavel had retorted. He almost winced at the memory of how juvenile and obnoxious he'd been that night.

"No, that's not what I mean. I want you, Pavel. You don't know how much. But you're young and what we're doing is technically against regulations, and I've already been punished once, for a very long stretch of time, for messing with something that I shouldn't have. I know that not going all the way with you doesn't make me innocent, but something in me keeps telling me to wait. You don't think I want to have sex with you? You don't think that I think about it everyday, every night, all the bloody time? It's driving me mental! But... I can't, okay? Some things are sacred and I just... I just can't. Not yet."

Pavel should have been understanding. He should have tried to see things from Scotty's perspective. He did, actually, but something, his pride or something stupid like that, wouldn't let him admit it.

"I am not a virgin, you know," he'd said coldly.

"I know."

"I have been with girls before."

"I know, Pavel."

"I could have had a man inside me before now. I could find someone to be with me, really be with me, tonight if I wanted. Maybe even someone you know."

Scotty had looked away. "Is that what you want?"

"I don't know. Maybe. I am clearly wasting my time here with you."

"So, that's all this is to you, then, is it?"

No, that wasn't all it was. This argument had taken place the night before last, months after Pavel had realized they were in love. But he hadn't been able to stop himself. Something made him get up and start getting dressed. Something made him call Scotty a coward and storm out of his quarters. This was a perfectly reasonable response, he'd told himself, trying to appease his conscience. What was unreasonable was Scotty expecting him to wait all this time, what was unreasonable was the two of them doing just about everything together except that one thing. It made no sense.

"Humans are often illogical when it comes to sexual and romantic matters," Mr. Spock had told Pavel when Pavel had asked his opinion. Pavel considered Scotty's behavior extremely illogical, and since the first officer was the authority on logic, Pavel had sought him out. It had been at breakfast yesterday morning and Spock had been sitting with Nyota. Pavel and Nyota were friends, but he'd kept his relationship a secret from her up until that point.

"Hey, watch it," she'd said to Spock. "You've had your moments of completely illogical behavior yourself."

"I do not deny that. A relationship can be difficult terrain to navigate, especially for one as young as yourself, Ensign."

"Don't change the subject," said Nyota. She then said to Pavel, "When he and I started dating, he refused to even kiss me on the mouth for about a month, and it would've gone on even longer if I hadn't staged a protest."

"Courtship is often taken far too lightly," Spock said. "Becoming acquainted with one another is an extremely important courtship ritual, and when physicality becomes enmeshed in the process it can confuse one's emotions."

"He was just nervous about dating a student," Nyota said frankly.

"It caused me unease, I will admit."

Pavel thought back to the way he'd made Scotty aware of his interest. He'd flirted and acted all coy and sweet and innocent while making it very clear what it was he wanted, and when he'd thought the time was right, he'd pretty much offered himself to Scotty. All of himself. There had been no courtship. _"Because... I can't resist you, all right?"_ That's what Scotty had said the night before, before Pavel had stormed out. Pavel felt a knot of guilt forming in his chest; he'd practically forced himself on the man.

"This guy you're seeing, he's older than you, right?" asked Nyota. Pavel nodded. "He's just nervous, that's all."

"As well he should be," said Spock. "It is against regulations for an officer who is above the age of majority to engage in sexual activity with one who is below it."

"But the age of majority in my country is sixteen," Pavel protested. "And it is the same in his country."

"That may very well be; however, your partner's nervousness suggests that the age of majority as set by Starfleet has been thoroughly integrated into his own personal code of conduct."

Pavel huffed and crossed his arms. "Well, it is ridiculous. No one is going to find out."

"I would not be so certain, Ensign. You are, after all, discussing the matter with Nyota and myself. It is far more likely that one will notice the signs of a relationship when one is actually aware of said relationship's existence."

Pavel narrowed his eyes at Spock, suddenly suspicious. "If someone found out, do you think they would tell on us? Because I do not think anyone should care."

Spock considered for a moment. "Perhaps not. Still, your lover has reason to be nervous, depending, of course, on how much older than you he is."

"Meaning what?"

"The number of years dividing the two of in age is directly proportional to how much others will care that he is involved with you."

Pavel cracked his knuckles and said nothing.

"How old is he, Pavel?" asked Nyota. Her voice was so sweet and loving, so _inviting_ , that Pavel was tempted to confide, but he wasn't about to be specific about anything. Scotty was in his mid-thirties, and Pavel wasn't in the mood to deal with reactions to that, least of all Nyota's. She'd only get all motherly on him and probably set out to discover Scotty's identity.

"Old enough to worry," he finally said, and he left it at that. "Commander, if I may ask... when you were resisting becoming more physical with Nyota, it was because of the rules?"

"Not official rules, but rather my own personal rule set," said Spock. "It had nothing to do with Nyota."

"Oh, honey, do you think it's you?" asked Nyota, looking at Pavel with her big, soulful eyes.

Pavel wrung his hands. This had crossed his mind on many occasions and he was fully aware that his own insecurity was partially to blame for his storming out of Scotty's quarters. "Maybe," he said.

"I doubt it's you. This guy is lucky to have you. He's probably been waiting a long time to find someone like you. Incidentally, approximately how long has he been waiting, twenty-four years? Thirty?"

"Nyota," said Spock warningly. "He does not wish to reveal –"

Nyota sighed. "Okay, okay. Can't blame me for being curious."

Pavel smiled. "Perhaps you will be able to guess who it is by how he acts at the party."

Nyota looked innocently at Spock, who simply quirked an eyebrow at her. "What party?" she asked Pavel.

Pavel smiled knowingly at her. "Is okay, Nyota. I know about the surprise birthday party you are planning for me."

Nyota's poker face was impeccable. Pavel figured it must be his imagination, but he thought he noticed Spock watching her with a hint of pride. "I haven't been planning any party, Pavel. Did you want a birthday party? Because I distinctly remember you saying you didn't."

Pavel chuckled. "No, no. Is okay. Never mind. I take it back. Forget I said anything."

Nyota gave him a funny look, but then shrugged. "Well, all right, then. But seriously, Pavel, your guy's probably just being cautious." She smiled. "The fact that he wants to wait until your eighteenth birthday is kind of sweet, actually. Romantic, you know?"

Romantic? Pavel had never considered it to be a romantic gesture, but he supposed he saw how it could be. Scotty was romantic, in his way.

"Where'd that come from?" Scotty had asked one evening as he and Pavel lounged, half-clothed, in his bed. Scotty was sitting up with his back to the headboard while Pavel was curled up on his side with his feet in Scotty's lap.

"Where did what come from?" asked Pavel without opening his eyes.

"This scar here. On your ankle."

Pavel finally pushed up onto an elbow to look. Scotty pointed out the smooth little roundish scar just to the right of Pavel's ankle bone, on the inside of the foot. "Oh, that. I did that when I was eight, riding my bike around my neighborhood. I fell and cut myself on a little piece of glass."

"Aww." Scotty ran his thumb over the scar.

"It was okay. I barely felt it. I was too busy chasing Klingons."

Scotty had looked at Pavel, then, and frowned. "Beg y'pardon?"

Pavel grinned. "Klingons. I would pretend I was flying through space when I would ride my bike. Did you not do things like that when you were a little boy, Scotty? I would peddle faster and faster and I would say, 'Warp factor 5... warp factor 7... 8... 9...' until I got all the way up to maximum. My brothers made fun of me all the time and my papa told me I daydreamed too much and that is why I had fallen and I should keep my head down on earth where it belonged. My mama, though, she thought my pretending was cute. She would say, 'Dream, Pasha. Don't let anyone tell you your dreams are crazy.'"

Scotty was watching him with a soft smile on his face, thumb still caressing that little scar. "So, you always had stars in your eyes, then. Now I'm trying to picture you as a wee one racing through your neighborhood."

"The neighbors, they would say, 'There he goes again. He never stops, that one.'"

"People still say that about you now, you know."

Pavel sat up, took his feet out of Scotty's lap and shifted closer to cuddle up to him. "I wanted to go into space so badly," he whispered as he idly fingered Scotty's chest hair. "I did not care that people made fun. I knew there was more out there for me." Then Pavel gasped as something occurred to him. "I just thought of something. All those afternoons I spent pretending to travel through space, all those nights I lay awake in bed dreaming of being up here; Scotty! Maybe it was because of you. Maybe I was trying to find you without realizing."

Scotty laughed. "You are a dreamer, aren't you?"

"You were up here already, in space. Maybe you were pulling me to you."

"As magnetic a man as I am, I don't think that's true. Besides, you shouldn't say things like that."

"Why not?"

"Do you know how old I was when you were eight?"

"Does not matter." Pavel cuddled him more. "We were meant to be together."

"You just love drawing attention to the age difference because you like watching me squirm."

Pavel smiled to himself. Scotty may have had a point there, but Pavel didn't admit it. "You visited St. Petersburg, though. When you were younger."

"Aye. I was twenty-seven. Me and my mates went there to see this exhibit of old fashioned lightning detectors – the one thing you think was invented in Russia that actually _was_ , by the way – and we visited a few monuments; Peter the Great's statue, for one." He shook his head and frowned. "Lost my camera on that trip. I loved that camera."

"Oh!" Pavel said excitedly. "My family used to visit that statue every year. When were you there? What month?"

"Why?"

"Maybe we were there at the same time. My family would go in June, usually. I remember the year I was eight, I was running around with my brothers and the cut on my ankle opened up again and Mama kept telling me not to run, that the cut would never heal properly if I did not learn to stay still, but I had to run. Always had to run."

Scotty squeezed him and kissed his forehead. "You must've been impossible to control. You know, I used to think you ran on batteries, but now I reckon your power source is a combination of enthusiasm and mad ideas."

Pavel laughed. "Scotty, be serious."

"Although, now you mention it, I seem to remember seeing some bratty, curly-haired little kid, who wouldn't stand still to save his life, getting his arse whipped by his mum when I was there."

Pavel punched him playfully in the stomach. "But Scotty, listen, what if we were there at the same time? What if you did see me?"

"I'm sure I didn't."

"No, just listen, though. What if you did see a little boy with a cut on his ankle? I know I saw a man, a dark-haired, young man with his friends, and they all had backpacks with little flags sewn on, and I am sure one of them was Scottish, and two of them were taking pictures."

"That could've been anybody."

"And our eyes met once, Scotty, I know you looked at me, right when my mama was cleaning my cut, you were the one without a camera, and I waved at you and you waved back, I know it was you."

Pavel laughed at the way Scotty rolled his eyes. Pavel was joking, of course, but there was a little part of him that wanted his story to be true. He'd been a friendly, outgoing little kid. He'd waved at strangers all the time, and sometimes they'd waved back.

"And the scar, Scotty, the scar I have now is there to tell you that I am that same boy and that I finally found my way to you. See? Meant to be. I told you."

Scotty had laughed and said Pavel was a silly dreamer and then had proceeded to wrestle Pavel down onto his back and give him a blow job that had rendered him useless for a good fifteen minutes afterward. Scotty would never admit to wishing Pavel's story was true, but after that conversation, every time Scotty had Pavel in his bed, he'd take hold of Pavel's right foot, raise it to his face and give the little scar a kiss while giving Pavel a wink.

 

* * *

Pavel's conversation with Kirk and McCoy had gone very differently than his conversation with Spock and Nyota. He'd approached them in much the same way, only at dinnertime later the same day.

"Here's what you do," said the captain as he chewed. "Wait for him in his quarters wearing nothing but a big smile and some strategically-placed food items."

"Jim!" McCoy had snapped. "He's just a kid."

"What? He's no virgin. You're not a virgin, are you, sport?"

Pavel blushed and shook his head. "No, sir."

"I don't care!" said McCoy. "I'm not advising some seventeen-year-old on how to get some old pervert into his pants! Listen, kid. You wait until you're eighteen and then you can go to town. Until then, keep it zipped. Got it?"

"Uhhh..." Pavel really hadn't known what to say to that. Not that the captain and the doctor would've noticed if he had spoken, as McCoy had begun hissing at Kirk about encouraging underage sex, and Kirk had then been forced to defend himself. Kirk pointed to Pavel more than once and said things like, "But _look_ at him!"

"What's his face got to do with anything?" McCoy had asked.

"You can't tell me something that looks like _that_ is expected to stay a virgin until he's eighteen. That's just cruel and unusual."

"That's not the point! It doesn't matter how attractive he is –"

"The hell it doesn't! Chekov."

"Huh?" said Pavel, sitting up straighter. "Yes, Captain?"

"How long have you been seeing this guy?"

"Yeah, and exactly how old is he?" asked McCoy. McCoy was very much like Nyota in that he seemed to feel responsible for Pavel for some reason. The only difference was that the prospect of _Nyota_ discovering Scotty's identity didn't make Pavel fear for Scotty's safety.

"He is, uh, a bit older," Pavel said vaguely. "We have been seeing each other for nearly a year. About nine months."

"So, it's serious," said Kirk, sounding impressed. "See, Bones? It's not some little kid thing, it's a real, adult relationship."

McCoy scowled. Pavel couldn't tell if this was a bad thing or not, as this seemed to be McCoy's reaction to just about everything. "Does he care about you, kid?" the doctor asked.

"'Course he cares," said Kirk. "Nine months? You don't spend that kinda time with someone you don't give a shit about."

"I was asking the kid. Listen, kid, nine months is nothing in terms of real relationships. Do you know if this guy cares about you?"

Pavel thought about grape jam and Scotty traipsing through the ship in his slippers to fetch him some. He couldn't help but smile. "Yes, Doctor. He loves me."

"Loves you? Has he said so?"

"Well... no, but –"

"Then don't assume."

Pavel had to protest. "Doctor, with all due respect, he does love me. I know this. And he is a good man. I think you would like him." He already did like him.

"I wouldn't be so sure," McCoy grumbled, piercing a bit of asparagus on his fork with unnecessary force. Kirk was watching him.

"Jeez, Bones, what'd the asparagus do to you? If that's how you treat vegetables, is it any wonder Pavel doesn't wanna tell you who this guy is?"

McCoy looked sidelong at Kirk.

"What, you gonna give this guy a fork to the head if he hurts the kid?"

"Don't give me any ideas, Jim."

"Well," said Pavel innocently, "I think you will like him, Doctor. I think he is someone who could be your friend, someone you might, say, invite to my birthday party."

"There's no party," McCoy said without missing a beat and without even looking up from his plate. He then promptly shoved a forkful of Salisbury steak into his mouth. Pavel looked at Kirk, scrutinizing his face, but Kirk's poker face was even better than Nyota's. He shrugged at Pavel and popped a bit of his dinner into his mouth as well.

Pavel narrowed his eyes. "Oh. You are all very, very good."

Kirk grinned but remained silent.

"Anyway, as I was saying," McCoy went on, pointing his fork at Pavel, "never, ever assume anything, especially in matters of the heart. Don't sleep with this guy just because you think he loves you. You gotta be sure first."

"God, you're such a girl," Kirk muttered.

"Oh, well, that's a lovely attitude."

"Get him to say 'I love you' before giving him any? Okay there, Grandpa."

"It's about self-respect and dignity, Jim. Those are important things."

Kirk pointed at Pavel but kept his eyes on McCoy. "He's seventeen. And a _guy_. What's important to him right now is –"

"Don't say it," McCoy interrupted him.

"Don't say what?"

"Whatever the end of that sentence was going to be, because I just know it's something crass."

"God, you're uptight."

"You're an infant."

Pavel had snickered quietly to himself. Watching these two was like watching his parents; they argued constantly, but the underlying affection was obvious. Pavel wondered why they didn't go public with their relationship. They were both of age, they were both senior officers. No one would think it strange or inappropriate.

Pavel wondered if they'd told each other they loved each other. He wondered if their last words to each other had been said in anger and if they were regretting them now as they faced their own mortality. Pavel wondered if the captain wanted to be telling the doctor how he felt over the comm rather than yelling for Scotty, who still wouldn't answer. It had been less than a minute, but it felt a hell of a lot longer.

Pavel continued to keep his mind off the disturbing silence from Engineering. He thought about his conversation with Hikaru instead.

"So, let me get this straight," said Hikaru last night in their quarters as they'd prepared for bed. "You've been seeing each other for nine months."

"Yes, Hikaru."

"And you love him and you think he loves you."

"I know he loves me. Yes."

"And you've been intimate."

"Yes."

"You've done just about everything; oral, fingering, rimming."

Pavel snickered. Something about Hikaru saying such things seemed odd. "Yes, Hikaru."

"What's so funny?"

"Is nothing."

"No, tell me. You can lick the guy's asshole, but you can't talk about it?"

Pavel burst into hysterical fits of laughter, lying down on his bed and holding his stomach.

"Pavel, seriously."

Hikaru wasn't laughing, but Pavel could hear the smile in his voice. He looked over at him and saw Hikaru watching him, smiling, his head canted.

"It is not the words, Hikaru. It is _you_ saying the words. You should not say things like that."

"Oh, _I_ shouldn't?" asked Hikaru, touching a hand to his own chest. "Why's that?"

"Because you are... you are..."

"What?"

"Perfect."

"Excuse me?"

"No, I mean..." Pavel sat up and wiped his laughter-tears away. "I mean you are, like... so... elegant. Proper. Gentleman."

Hikaru grinned. "I see. You think I'm some kind of delicate flower or something."

"Well... you like flowers."

Hikaru chuckled. "Yeah, I do. But I'm a guy, Pavel, just like you. And I'm older than you. I know about sex. I've even had it a few times, believe it or not."

"Yes, I know."

"We've talked about sex before."

"Yes, but not as bluntly as that."

"Well, shit, maybe we should start if you think I'm so proper that I shouldn't be saying things like 'rimming'."

Pavel smiled again, but he said, "You are right. We should be able to speak frankly about such things. We are best friends."

"Exactly. So, as I was saying, you've done just about everything else, but he won't fuck you."

Pavel forced himself not to smile... too much. "Yes."

"Because you're underage and he isn't."

"Yes, Hikaru."

Hikaru nodded. "Your birthday's in two weeks. You're in the home stretch."

"That is not the point. He can put it in my mouth, but not in my ass. What is that?"

Now it was Hikaru's turn to smile at Pavel's words. "Okay, that was adorable," he laughed.

Pavel threw a pillow at his head, which Hikaru easily dodged.

"We are speaking frankly, no?" said Pavel.

"Yeah, we are. I'm sorry."

"What should I do? Should I simply wait? As you say, it is only two more weeks. It is silly to make a big deal of it now."

"Well, I can see where you're coming from. You love the guy and things are going well between you. I'd be frustrated too. He's worth it, right? This guy."

Pavel nodded, his eyes going all soft and dreamy as he thought about the scar on his ankle, of Scotty's lips caressing it every time they were together. "Yes," he said. "He is worth it."

"Then wait."

Pavel focused his eyes on Hikaru again. "You think so?"

"Yeah. Why not? It's only two weeks. And if you love him, you don't want to talk him into something he's not comfortable with."

No, Pavel didn't want that. He supposed, as the seconds of silence from Engineering ticked by, that if they died today, his relationship with Scotty had been more than enough. It was more than some people got. He was lucky to have found something so special at such a young age. He just wished he could get a moment, just a moment, to tell Scotty he was sorry and that he loved him.

"Warp engines back online, Captain!" called Hikaru.

Scotty had done it. Whether he was still alive or not, he'd saved them, yet again, at the last possible second.

"Plot a course for the nearest starbase, Mr. Chekov!" said Kirk.

"Aye, sir," Pavel said, his fingers flying over the controls, practically on autopilot. He knew what he was doing but felt like he was in a dream. He felt almost as though they were leaving Scotty behind, like some part of Scotty had been extracted from within the ship by Bob's tentacle, leaving nothing but an empty shell behind in Engineering, a shell that neither spoke, nor felt. Pavel pictured it standing there in the middle of the chaos in Engineering, staring blankly, able to hear but not respond.

Pavel didn't want to go until he heard Scotty's voice again, but that wasn't an option. He laid in a course for Starbase 64. "Course laid in, sir," he said. His own voice sounded lifeless to him.

"Get us the hell out of here, Mr. Sulu!" yelled the captain, and off they went, leaving Bob behind. Pavel saw Hikaru glance at him in his periphery and he met Hikaru's eyes. Hikaru was very obviously relieved, and Pavel could feel a bit of tension releasing all around him, as though the air on the bridge had been so thick with fear that it had been pressing in on all of them. But not all the tension dissipated. Where was Engineering? Hikaru seemed to realize what Pavel was thinking when he saw Pavel's halfhearted little smile. Had Hikaru figured out who it was Pavel was seeing? He'd figured out they were currently in Engineering at the very least. A look of sympathy crossed the pilot's face, and Pavel had to look away. Pavel didn't want to see sympathy or pity just then. Those things only made the possibility that Scotty was gone feel that much more real.

And then there was a voice from above.

 _"Engineering to the bridge! Everyone all right up there?"_

Pavel's face broke into the biggest grin, as did Hikaru's, and the captain could be heard behind them whooping with glee and probably a good amount of relief. Pavel could have jumped up out of his seat just then. He very nearly did, but he managed to remain seated, merely fidgeting with barely restrained giddiness and relief.

"We're fine, Scotty!" said Kirk. "Where the hell were you?"

 _"Communications were buggered for a bit, but we're all okay down here. A little banged up, but none the worse for wear."_

"Anyone down there need medical?"

 _"Yeah, at least one of us has a broken limb. We've already gotten word to medical, they're on their way."_

"So am I. Sit tight, I'm coming down."

Pavel glanced back and saw Kirk striding away from his chair. His stomach did flips. He could sit there and wait. He'd be able to see Scotty soon enough, after all. But he found himself popping up onto his feet and chasing after Kirk, calling out to him.

Kirk stopped before the turbolift and turned to face him. "Chekov, what's up? You okay, sport?"

Pavel normally hated the captain's little nicknames for him. He didn't mind it so much now, though. His life had just flashed before his eyes, and Kirk's nicknames and his playful little punches on the arm had never been so welcome.

"Fine, sir. I just wanted to know if I could... come with you."

"To Engineering?"

"Yes, sir."

"What for?"

"Because. I just... I need to check on something." Pavel didn't know what else to say. He couldn't tell Kirk the truth. But Kirk was scrutinizing Pavel now, frowning slightly as he searched Pavel's eyes. Pavel fidgeted and wondered what he was looking for.

"Sir?"

"Someone down there you need to see?" asked Kirk.

"Uh, well, I would like to know that everyone is okay, of course."

Kirk canted his head. "You just heard that everyone's okay. One broken limb out of all of them."

Pavel wrung his hands. "I know, sir."

Kirk stared at him for a moment longer and something in his face changed; his frown diminished and his mouth curled into a lopsided smile.

"Yeah, you can come," he finally said. He slapped Pavel on the shoulder and guided him into the turbolift.

The lights along the corridors were slowly flickering back to full brightness. Pavel and the captain walked briskly and were mostly silent during the journey. Pavel was thankful that Kirk walked so quickly, but Pavel still could have walked a bit faster. Kirk noticed.

"You keep going ahead of me."

"Sorry, sir."

"You gotta slow down for old guys in their mid-twenties, like me."

"Sorry, sir."

"He's fine, you know."

Pavel glanced at him nervously. "He... he who, sir?"

Kirk was smiling again. "I mean, _they_. They're all fine."

Pavel nodded and looked away.

When they entered Engineering, there was a blanket of acrid smoke hanging in the air. There were voices, but Pavel didn't immediately see anyone.

"Mr. Scott?" called Kirk, and a moment later Scotty poked his head around a corner. He looked a lot lower to the ground than he should have been and he had a little blood on his forehead, just off to the left. Pavel's stomach dropped. Something was wrong. He was hurt more badly than he'd let on.

"Hello, Captain!" Scotty said, and then his eyes landed on Pavel and his face broke into a huge grin that made Pavel's heart race. To Pavel's relief, Scotty scrambled to his feet without difficulty and hurried over to them. He was facing Pavel more than Kirk as he approached, but his face fell a bit as he drew nearer, as though he had just remembered not to be too obvious, and he simply nodded at Pavel before turning to the captain. "Everything all right?" he asked them both.

"We're still getting damage reports up there, but so far, as good as can be expected," said Kirk. "Who's the injured officer?"

"Josephson, sir," said Scotty, jerking his thumb back at the place he'd been when they'd first arrived. "She'll be fine. You didn't have to come down."

"Nah, I wanted to check up on you guys. You scared the hell out of me."

"Well, everything's fine now. McCoy's here taking care of that broken leg."

"Oh, Bones is here?" Kirk asked innocently, craning his neck to look around.

"Yeah, just 'round the corner there. They're getting ready to take Josephson up to sickbay."

"I see. Uh..." Kirk glanced at Pavel. "I'm gonna go and, uh, say hi or something. See if everyone's all right." He gave Pavel a little wink and a pat on the arm, and then departed. Pavel watched him go, finally realizing that Kirk had probably come down to see the doctor, to make sure he was okay.

"Hey, you," Scotty said, grinning, and Pavel was relieved to finally be able to focus on him. "What are you doing here?"

"I had to see you. Make sure you were okay."

"Oh, I'm fine," Scotty said with a wave of his hand. He then paused and fidgeted a bit, looking down and shuffling his feet, making Pavel think Scotty wanted to hug him but was restraining himself. "You all right?" Scotty finally asked.

"Yes. Not hurt. But you..." Pavel's eye went up to the small cut on Scotty's forehead.

"That's nothing. Have that fixed up in a heart beat."

"You scared me. When you did not answer."

"Oh. Yeah." Scotty's expression became more somber. "Sorry 'bout that, didn't mean to frighten anyone. Dunno what happened there. We tried to reestablish communications, but then getting the warp engines back took precedent."

Pavel nodded and swallowed down the lump that was forming in his throat as he remembered that awful silence. "Of course. Scotty?"

"Yeah?"

"I need to tell you something. I am sorry about what I said the night before last. I was... I was an ass."

Scotty chuckled. "Well, you were certainly a little shit, I'll give you that. But it's okay."

"No, not okay." Pavel stepped closer. "I didn't mean what I said. I don't want to be with anyone but you and that is all I could think about while I was on the bridge and thought we were all going to die, just a few minutes ago." Pavel heard his voice begin to quiver, but he couldn't stop it. "And you wouldn't answer the captain and I thought about you and us and how I was going to die without ever having the chance to really be with you and how terrible I was to you and how –"

"Oh, hey, hey, hey," Scotty hushed him. He reached out, took Pavel in his arms and hugged him tight. Pavel was more than grateful and melted against him, but he was also quite surprised; Scotty had never so much as touched him in public, not after they'd started seeing each other. He supposed almost losing their lives made hugging a little more acceptable. And then Pavel realized that Scotty was shaking. Pavel squeezed him and rubbed his back, trying to soothe him.

"I thought about you too," Scotty whispered. "Thought about what a fool I've been."

"No, you have done nothing," Pavel insisted. He loosened his grip so he could look at Scotty, and before Scotty could protest Pavel reached up and cupped his face so firmly that he squished Scotty's mouth a bit. "It was me, Scotty. I have been immature and impatient and scared."

"Skirred o' whah?" asked Scotty as best he could with his mouth all squished.

"I was afraid to tell you something because I thought you might not be ready to hear it, but now I know that it does not matter if you're ready or not, because it needs to be said, because life is too short."

"Ookie," said Scotty, looking confused.

Pavel pulled Scotty's face even closer to his own and, ignoring the jumping-off-a-cliff feeling he now had in his gut, he whispered, "I love you." He finally released Scotty's cheeks as the words set his heart pattering nervously. He busied himself brushing ash off of Scotty's shoulders and arms, as though trying to distract himself from what he'd just said, and he avoided Scotty's eyes. "I am in love with you. Okay, there. I said it."

Why was he so nervous? He knew Scotty loved him too. He was certain of it. And yet he couldn't stop his hands; he kept on straightening and brushing at Scotty's uniform until Scotty finally took hold of his hands and sandwiched them between his own. Pavel allowed his eyes to land on Scotty's face, which, to his relief, was smiling warmly at him.

"I said it," Pavel repeated, mostly to himself.

"I heard you. 'Bout time one of us said it, I guess, eh? Listen, Pavel, I _have_ been a fool. Because I haven't had the guts to say it to you either. And because I've been insisting that..." He trailed off for a moment and glanced around. Pavel followed his gaze and saw McCoy and a nurse moving the officer with the broken leg toward the exit on a gurney. They didn't pay Pavel and Scotty any mind, but the captain, who was following them out, glanced over at the pair, eyes landing on their clasped hands for a moment. He smiled and winked at them, gave Scotty a strange little eyebrow wiggle, and then was gone.

Pavel looked back at Scotty, who was staring at the door as it slid shut. Pavel thought his face looked a bit uncertain, as though he was rethinking what he'd been about to say, but then he seemed to relax. He took a breath and nodded to himself as he squeezed Pavel's hands.

"Well, he knows," Scotty sighed. "The captain, he knows about us for sure, and – Oi!" he suddenly shouted. Pavel followed his eyes again and saw the remaining officers peeking around a corner, watching them. "What do you think you're lookin' at? Not enough to do around here, is there? Not enough destruction and almost _dying_ happening around here for you? _Get back to work_!" The officers scattered and Scotty muttered, "Think it's safe to say they know now too."

"Do you think someone will have a problem with it?"

"Nah, these guys here, they won't care. They're okay, really. Even if they are a bunch of _nosy bastards_." The last two words were said rather loudly, and Pavel heard another set of footsteps, the sound of which made him think they belonged to Keenser, scampering away somewhere behind him.

"As I was saying," Scotty continued, "I've been insisting that it makes a difference when we finally... you know. And it doesn't. I've been an idiot."

"No, you were just being cautious. I understand. It was me. My fault. I forced myself on you."

At first, Scotty did a little double take, frowning at Pavel, but then a smile slowly spread across his face. "I'm sorry, what?"

"I did, Scotty. I should have been more patient, I should not have thrown myself at you the way I did. It was wrong of me and it made you uncomfortable and I apologize."

Pavel didn't know what reaction he'd been expecting, but laughter wasn't it. He blinked at Scotty in confusion as Scotty pulled him into a crushing hug and his hearty laughter reverberated through Pavel's body.

"You think this is your fault because you _threw yourself at me_?" Scotty laughed. "Oh, okay, yeah, uh... Oh, sweet Jesus, lad, that is rich. Oh, that's good."

"What? What is good? What is wrong with you?"

"Nothing, nothing. I just..." Scotty composed himself and looked into Pavel's eyes, his own twinkling with restrained laughter. "I love you. I love your face, I love your voice, I love your weird little nose and your constantly moving hands. I love that you eat disgusting blueberry bagels, and I love that you hog the covers – no, wait, I don't like that very much. Or the knuckle-cracking thing. But they're both kinda cute anyway. And I love your run-on sentences and your endless enthusiasm for things that nobody else understands. I love that you cry when you laugh too hard, and I love the way you say words like 'little' and 'gravity field', and I love that you think that crazy scar on your ankle is some kind of cosmic sign that we belong together."

Pavel was positively beaming as he said, "But it is, though, Scotty."

"See? I love that! And I love that you think my obsession with gadgets is sexy, and I love your nimble little fingers." With one arm still holding Pavel firmly against himself, Scotty took hold of Pavel's left hand and kissed the backs of his fingers. He then clutched the hand to his chest and continued, "And I love that you want me so badly. Someone like you shouldn't want me. I'm the luckiest bastard in the universe. I've been stupid and misguided, and Pavel... I love you. And, if you'll still have me, I think I'd like to make love to you tonight."

Pavel stared into Scotty's eyes in wonder, and his breath caught in his throat at Scotty's last words. Pavel could have laughed in that moment, for no reason other than pure joy. He felt like an electric current was running through him, charging him up, making him jumpy, making him want to break away and do laps around Engineering. He decided to use that energy to kiss Scotty instead. He didn't care the they were out in the open. He didn't care if he was embarrassing Scotty with all his youthful exuberance. He was happy, ecstatically happy and in love, and he'd just cheated death. Nothing else mattered anymore; not embarrassment, not protocol, not regulations, not the eyes of the other officers that kept focusing on them from across the room. All that mattered was this man and his candy-flavored tongue and how adorably vulnerable he'd looked as he'd said his last few words and the fact that, despite being watched, he was kissing Pavel back with as much desire and pride as Pavel felt.

Pavel had to stop himself before he got carried away. He pulled his mouth off Scotty and clung to him as though afraid of falling over. "We should wait," he said.

"What?"

"Is only two more weeks. It is nice that you want to wait. Romantic."

"Romantic?" Scotty asked in disbelief. "No, Pavel, you were right. I've been a coward and just plain stupid."

Pavel shook his head. "I think it is sweet." He pressed a gentle kiss to Scotty's mouth and murmured, "We should wait. Make it special."

"You're sure?"

"Yes." Pavel took a deep breath and smiled as he exhaled. "Okay?"

Scotty looked a bit uncertain, but he finally smiled too and nodded. "Okay."

"Okay. I have to go." He gave Scotty one final kiss and then tore himself away. He walked toward the door with a little bounce in his step that he couldn't have stopped if he'd wanted to, but then he remembered something and stopped at the door. He frowned as he turned back to Scotty.

"What is wrong with my nose?" he asked, reaching up to feel it.

Scotty threw his head back and laughed. "Nothing, nothing. It's just cute. And weird. But in a cute way."

Pavel huffed. "My nose is not weird." He couldn't really be annoyed, though. Not now, after everything they'd been through. Not when Scotty smiled at him like that.

 

* * *

It was the longest two weeks of Pavel's life. And when the clock struck midnight on September 19th, Pavel was wide awake and very tempted to sneak out of bed and go knock on Scotty's door. Pavel lay in the dark, listening to Hikaru's steady breathing and unconscious mutterings about a surprise party, and idly tugged at his impatient erection. He had decided to stay away from Scotty's bed for the last week before his birthday, reasoning that allowing himself to miss being with Scotty would make it that much more amazing when they were together tonight.

The first of the two weeks hadn't been so bad, as Pavel had pounced on Scotty at every opportunity and spent nearly every night in Scotty's quarters. He'd even groped at Scotty in out-of-the-way corners of Engineering, prompting Scotty to declare on one occasion, "Christ, lad! I'm not a climbin' frame!" Sometimes when he was able to convince Scotty that a little Engineering make-out session wasn't the worst thing in the world, Pavel would catch glimpses of Keenser perched high above, peeking at them. He didn't get the impression that Keenser was getting off on watching (although, granted, it was kind of hard to tell). No, he got the impression that Keenser simply liked seeing his friend so in love and happy. Once, when his and Pavel's eyes had met, Keenser had given Pavel the thumbs-up sign, which had caused Pavel to giggle into Scotty's mouth.

"What?" Scotty had asked, but he'd quickly followed Pavel's gaze and yelled, "GET DOWN! Ya wee pervert!"

The second week, during which Pavel forced himself not to touch Scotty at all, was brutal, but the ache Pavel felt every time he laid eyes on Scotty was the sweetest ache he'd ever felt. Actually, he was happy he was depriving himself because he thought his plan was working; the longer he went without being with Scotty, the more he seemed to appreciate him. Every time he heard Scotty's voice or laugh, his stomach fluttered. Every time he saw Scotty's smile, he felt all warm inside. And every time Scotty met his eyes from across a room and gave him a little smile or wink or knowing look, Pavel was certain there wasn't a luckier officer on board, in Starfleet, in the whole universe, than himself.

Pavel caught himself humming more than once. Several times he caught his fellow officers watching him curiously because he was whistling or smiling mysteriously to himself. Once, Hikaru gave him the funniest look when he caught Pavel punctuation all his hand movements and button punches with whistles and funny little noises.

"What is up with you?" Hikaru had asked.

Pavel had blushed and replied, "Just happy. It is almost my birthday."

Hikaru had frowned, seeming to consider Pavel's answer for a moment. But then his face had relaxed and he'd given Pavel a little smile.

"I see," he'd said.

"You see what?"

"Why you're so happy. You'll have to let me know how it goes."

Pavel had grinned. "How much will you want to know?"

"How much will you be comfortable telling me?"

"Anything. Everything."

"Will this be a... blunt and frank discussion?"

Pavel had had to bite his lip to keep from snickering at the memory of the word 'rimming' coming out of Hikaru's mouth. "I would not have it any other way, Hikaru."

Then the eve of Pavel's birthday had come, and by that time the needy ache inside him was practically a living, breathing thing that resided in his belly. Still, he was happy. He whistled through the corridors, drawing stares and smiles. That afternoon he'd run into Scotty, who was just coming out of the transporter room.

"Hello, you," Scotty had said cheerfully, smiling his lovely, crinkly-eyed smile as they continued down the hall together. "Where are you off to?"

"Lunch," Pavel had said.

"Ah. Eating with Mr. Sulu again?"

"Yes. And Ensign Urenio."

"Right, right. 'Cause, you know, I was thinking, it's been nearly two weeks since we outed ourselves in Engineering and news spreads faster than Ankaran flu 'round here."

Pavel had looked at him with concern. "Has someone said something?"

"No, no, nothing bad. Everyone's okay with it, actually. I think they all think we're cute together or something."

Pavel smiled. "They do?"

"Yeah. 'Cause we speak the same language, you and I. We're both nerds." Scotty grinned. "And we're both geniuses, of course. But anyway, as I was saying, I don't suppose you'd want to blow off your usual lunch crowd, would you?"

"Blow off?"

"Eat with someone else for a change today."

"Oh... ohhh." Pavel had grinned sheepishly. "With you?"

"Yeah," Scotty had said with a shrug, trying to sound casual. "Why not?"

"But everyone knows about us. They will stare." They were already staring; Pavel had noticed the little looks as others past by them in the corridor.

And then Pavel felt something touch his hand, and he looked down to find Scotty's hand wrapping around his own. He looked up at Scotty, who wasn't looking at Pavel, but rather staring straight ahead with his chin up.

"Let them stare," Scotty had said, and then he'd glanced sidelong at Pavel and smiled. Pavel had tried to keep himself from beaming too much, but he didn't think he'd succeeded.

 

* * *

Pavel's surprise party that wasn't a surprise happened that evening. The bridge crew was there, as well as Pavel's friends from Engineering and the Science department. He did his very best to act confused as Hikaru led him to Nyota's quarters, and then shocked when the door slid open, the lights came up and everyone yelled "Surprise!" It didn't take much to act shocked, actually. He was so pleased to see all their smiling faces, he couldn't help but beam at them all.

There were lots of hugs, pats on the back, hand shakings and congratulations. There were presents and Pavel's favorite cake and a toast to his country. The captain went around pointing at Pavel and Scotty whenever they were standing near each other, saying, "I got them together, you know. Oh, yeah. I set them up. Totally my idea." Pavel thought this was rather curious, but dismissed it as just another one of Kirk's jokes that he didn't get. For some reason, though, Scotty kept pretending not to notice Kirk doing this.

Pavel spent much of the evening watching the other couples in the room. Nyota and Spock barely touched each other and their interaction looked almost completely professional. Most of the time. There were little moments when Nyota would be obviously joking around with Spock, and Spock's gaze would soften and his mouth would curl upward on one side. The captain and the doctor, on the other hand, were like the oldest of old friends, constantly bantering back and forth and poking fun at each other. Kirk's eyes did that twinkly thing that they often did whenever he smiled at McCoy, and McCoy's expression when he looked at Kirk was one of affectionate tolerance. At one point, Kirk attempted to feed McCoy a bit of cake. Pavel very much enjoyed watching McCoy swat Kirk's hand away and then try to flee as Kirk chased after him.

Pavel wondered what kind of couple he and Scotty looked like, now that they actually looked like a couple. Scotty even gave Pavel a little kiss on the mouth after Pavel had blown out his candles. But his hands were still hesitant when he touched Pavel's back or arm, he still seemed a bit uncertain when he and Pavel stood close to talk, like he was just waiting for someone to pass judgment. Pavel imagined they looked like a shy, teenage couple on a first date.

He caught others watching them a lot too. Hikaru and Nyota seemed to approve, watching them with gleeful grins on their faces; it was impossible to tell what Spock was thinking and, in fact, Pavel didn't catch him staring once; the captain seemed rather smug, and Pavel still had no idea why; the doctor clearly disapproved, but there was a hint of disgruntled acceptance on his face that Pavel chalked up to him having to admit that he did indeed like and trust Scotty. Still, Pavel scanned the area for forks and other pointy things within McCoy's reach and calculated how long it would take for **a)** him to get his hands on one of them and **b)** Scotty to get to the door from any point in the room.

It got later and later, and guests started saying their "goodnights", and Nyota offered to keep all of Pavel's presents there until the following day so that he wouldn't have to worry about lugging everything back to Scotty's quarters, and Scotty began to ask, "What makes you think he's coming back to my..." but the look on Nyota's face, a knowing sort of look, made Scotty trail off.

"Did you get the feeling that almost every single person in that room knew exactly what we'd be doing tonight?" Scotty asked as he and Pavel strolled hand-in-hand back to his quarters.

Yes, Pavel had definitely gotten that feeling. In fact, it was more than just a feeling; when he'd looked back at everyone as he and Scotty had departed, he'd found five very knowing gazes locked on the two of them. Pavel was regretting having asked the advice of so many. He didn't like that so many people knew he was going to have Scotty inside him for the first time tonight. He cracked the knuckles of his free hand as he considered his answer to Scotty's question. He finally decided to simply gloss over the question entirely.

"I didn't notice anything," he said casually. "But Scotty, what did the captain mean by what he said?"

"Said about what?"

"He kept saying that he is responsible for our relationship. What did he mean by that?"

Scotty cleared his throat. "Well, Pavel, the thing is... apparently your interest in me wasn't completely unnoticeable. The captain could tell." He made a face. "And so could _Spock_ , which was really bloody weird."

Pavel could hardly believe it and felt his cheeks heating up with embarrassment even though neither Kirk, nor Spock, was in the vicinity. "They knew?"

"Oh, yeah. Shocked the hell outta me, I'll tell you that. I had no idea."

"And the captain, he said you should be with me?"

"Yeah, he did. But that's not why I chose to." Scotty looked at him and gave him a soft smile. "I decided to be with you because you're smart and gorgeous and I'd have been a fool to turn you down. And like I said, I couldn't resist you. And you knew it."

They finally stopped in front of Scotty's quarters. Scotty turned to Pavel and took both of his hands.

"I did not know that," Pavel protested.

"Oh, come now. You know what you look like and you use it to your advantage. I can respect that. You know, actually it was something McCoy said that made me give you a chance in the first place. After Kirk told me you were interested in me, I didn't believe it, so McCoy said I should let you be alone with me for a while to see what you'd do."

Pavel thought for a moment and then grinned. "The warp core."

Scotty smiled and nodded. "The warp core. Dunno if I'd have gone up there with you if I hadn't been curious about if and how you were going to make your move. And what a move it was!"

Pavel blushed, grinning from ear to ear. "I did nothing."

"Lyin' sack o' lies is what you are. You knew exactly what you were doing." Scotty released Pavel's hands and took him by his waist instead, pulling him closer. "You knew exactly how to get me. You still do. I think that speaks to how perfect we are for each other."

Pavel brought his hands up to Scotty's shoulders. "I think so too," he whispered. He was already starting to get hard. He made that fact known by nudging himself against Scotty, who nudged back, and Pavel felt evidence of an answering erection. This was it. They'd finally made it here. They'd somehow defied the odds for a relationship between two people in their respective age groups and Pavel was finally going to have his lover. All of his lover.

They kissed right there in front of Scotty's door. It began as something slow and tender but quickly started to escalate. Pavel's body was already humming with need and nerves. He'd been picturing this night in his head for months. It was going to be perfect, he just knew it.

They stumbled into Scotty's dark quarters, and the door shut, making it just about pitch black, the only light coming from the various little gadgets Scotty had scattered all around, their multi-colored pinpoints of illumination hardly enough to light anything. They grabbed and pulled at each other as they stumbled toward the bed, but they didn't quite make it there before tripping over something in the dark and falling with grunts and curses to the floor.

"Ow! What the fuck was that?" said Scotty, who had landed halfway on top of Pavel.

"I think it was... one of your boots," Pavel said breathlessly, tugging at Scotty's shirt and pushing his crotch into Scotty's thigh.

"Yeah, probably right. Shouldn't have left that there. Ah, fuck it."

They continued kissing right there on the floor. Pavel opened up wide to accept Scotty's tongue as he clawed at Scotty's skin. He was so ready for this. He was so ready, he couldn't stop his body from rutting up against Scotty's. Things were building so quickly – the heat, the desire, the pulsing pleasure in his groin – and Scotty smelled so good and tasted so delicious and having Scotty's tongue in his mouth was just about the hottest thing _ever_ , and it already felt as though he was going to...

Pavel grunted hard and next thing he knew he was coming in his pants. Scotty stopped kissing him and was quiet while Pavel jerked underneath him. Pavel couldn't quite see his face in the darkness, but he imagined Scotty looked about as disappointed as he, Pavel, felt.

"Fuck," Pavel cursed under his breath as the last of his climax shuddered out of him and he went limp.

"Did... you just come?"

"Sorry," Pavel panted. "I... didn't mean to... Sorry."

Pavel heard a little snort and then a giggle.

"This is funny?" he asked.

"Well, it's not _not_ funny. Come on." Scotty groaned as he stood, and then he groped around for Pavel's hands to help him up too. Pavel winced at the mess in his underwear as he got up. "It's all right," Scotty said as he carefully led Pavel to the bed. "You're young; you'll be hard again in about ten seconds."

Pavel laughed despite his embarrassment. "I am sorry, though, Scotty."

"Don't worry about it – OW!" They stopped when Scotty stubbed his toe on the bed. " _Son of a..._ I'm okay. Here, let's get you undressed."

Pavel allowed Scotty to help him out of his shirt. He then quickly got out of his pants and wet underwear, and then proceeded to help Scotty out of his clothes. He sought out Scotty's mouth after they'd removed his shirt, and kissed him deeply as his fingers worked Scotty's pants open. He slipped a hand down inside Scotty's underwear and felt his own body begin to respond again as he wrapped his hand around the firm warmth of Scotty's cock.

Scotty broke the kiss so he could fumble out of his the rest of his clothes, and then he took Pavel by his waist and began to guide him down onto the bed.

"The lights," Pavel whispered. "Want to see you."

"Mm-hm. I'll get them in a sec – Whoa!" Scotty lost his balance and fell the rest of the way down onto the bed, losing control and heading straight into the adjacent wall. Pavel heard the thud as wall and Scotty's head made contact. He immediately sat up.

"Computer, lights, sixty percent," he said. The lights came up and there was Scotty, naked, but for his socks, on all fours, his face screwed up in pain and one hand pressed to his forehead.

"Son of a _bitch_ ," he muttered.

Pavel shimmied closer. "Move your hand." He pulled Scotty's hand away and checked the area. "Are you okay?"

"Well, my head's throbbin' and I've just about no dignity left, but other than that..."

"You will have quite a bump there in a little while."

"Oh, the captain'll love that," Scotty said as he took a seat next to Pavel. "First time you and I have actual sex, and I come out with a giant lump on my head." Pavel put his arms around him to comfort him, and Scotty immediately noticed Pavel's erection. "Hey, look at that! Told you you'd be back in no time." He sighed and glanced around the room. "You know, something doesn't feel right. Well..." He winced and reached up to feel his forehead again. "Lots of things don't feel right at the moment, actually."

"Meaning what?"

"It's not supposed to be like this. I mean, tell me this isn't how you've been picturing it."

Pavel smiled. "No. Definitely not."

"Well, thank god, 'cause I'm not sure I can take much more... Hang on." Scotty frowned off at nothing for a moment. He then scrambled away from Pavel and got up off the bed. He started getting dressed again and said, "Well, come on, get your clothes back on."

Pavel frowned in confusion, but did as he was told, putting everything back on except his underwear. "Scotty, where are we going?"

Scotty grinned and winked at him. "You'll see."

It didn't take Pavel long to catch on. As he and Scotty padded down the corridor in their socks, Pavel carrying a pillow and Scotty carrying several blankets and a little tube of lubricant, Pavel recognized the route they were taking before they'd reached their destination.

Pavel crawled into Jeffries tube GNDN6-A first. It wasn't the roomiest place on the ship, but he supposed they wouldn't need that much room for this. And besides, this tube was special to them. Pavel smiled to himself remembering how Scotty had brought him here their very first night together, how Pavel had shown Scotty, right here in this tube, how he could hum just like the ship and how that had turned Scotty on in ways Pavel hadn't anticipated. He'd thought it would simply impress Scotty and maybe draw Scotty to him a little more, but Scotty's reaction had definitely been more intense than that.

They settled in the heart of the tube together, sat nestled in each other's arms on the thin, makeshift mattress made of layered blankets.

"Thought it was only fitting," Scotty said, "since this is where we began. Well, I suppose we actually began up by the warp core, but that would be quite a public deflowering, wouldn't it? Speakin' of which, I really hope nobody comes in here."

Pavel didn't speak. Instead, he pulled off his shirt and then scrambled out of his pants and socks, and then sat there, proudly naked, very ready and completely for Scotty, watching Scotty's face as he took in Pavel's body.

Scotty snaked an arm around Pavel's lower back, pulled him close and kissed him so deeply, Pavel just about lost his breath for a moment and his body curved into Scotty's, his back arching. As Scotty's free hand touched his chest and then slowly made its way down to his groin, Pavel raised one knee to spread his legs, to offer himself completely. He belonged to this man. He was certain of it. He'd been drawn to Scotty from the moment the man had set foot on the ship. He was brilliant and funny and sweet, and ever since they'd met, Pavel had been aching for him, desperate to learn from him, to be in the presence of his genius, to have those hands, the same hands that Pavel watched perform something resembling a ballet over consoles and inside panels, perform delicate dances over Pavel's trembling skin.

Now Scotty's hand lay lovingly over Pavel's erection, just gently cupping it, and Pavel caressed that hand, telling Scotty with his touch and his mouth and his noises that everything he touched here tonight was his and always had been. Scotty laid Pavel down on his back, putting his head on the single pillow they'd brought. He then sat up and began to undress. Pavel lay there with his legs spread and touched himself while he watched. As Scotty peeled off his clothes, Pavel reached out to touch with a little whimper, but Scotty took his hand, kissed it and whispered, "Be patient. I'm not going anywhere." He leaned over and kissed Pavel again as he awkwardly exposed his lower half, and then he pulled away and sat up on his knees, caressing Pavel's thighs and admiring the body laid out before him.

"I'm so lucky," Scotty whispered as he moved a hand down Pavel's right leg, gripped the ankle and lifted it until it was by his face. He turned his mouth toward it and pressed his lips to Pavel's little scar. He didn't wink this time. He closed his eyes and caressed Pavel's foot, drawing the kiss out for several seconds until he finally turned his face away and pressed the foot to his cheek. It took a moment, but he finally opened his eyes and gave Pavel the softest smile.

"You are thinking things," Pavel whispered. "Tell me."

"I'll tell you," Scotty said, lowering Pavel's foot to the floor and lowering his face to Pavel's body. "Later." He licked all the way up the underside of Pavel's cock, making Pavel gasp, and Scotty continued from there, appreciating Pavel's body with his lips, his tongue and his fingers. He prepared Pavel in much the same way he had their first night together, when Scotty had ultimately decided not to go through with it; he turned Pavel over onto his stomach and buried his face in him. He tongued at Pavel's hole, convincing it to relax, one of his hands busy down underneath, playing with Pavel's leaking cock. Pavel wished he'd just stick his fingers in already, and he whined and squirmed and breathed Scotty's name, begging without real words for Scotty to fill him up. But Scotty continued to take his time, gently laving at Pavel's opening until finally Pavel felt a fingertip begin to push inside.

"We have done this enough times," Pavel whined. "You can go faster than this, put two fingers in right away."

"Impatient thing," Scotty chuckled. "What did I tell you about that? Engineers can't be impatient. And neither can navigators."

Pavel only moaned as Scotty's fingertip found his prostate. Scotty was right, of course. Pavel shouldn't be so impatient, especially considering this was supposed to be special. He'd waited long enough, a few more minutes wouldn't matter. Or, actually, they _would_ matter. They'd matter in the best way, in a way that made Pavel's body shiver with need and anticipation, that drove him to the edge of sanity with how unbelievably good Scotty's hands could make him feel. Pavel shut his eyes and imagined Scotty's hands gliding appreciatively over the solid, graceful lines of the _Enterprise's_ state-of-the-art design, meanwhile he felt Scotty's palm caress down his quivering thigh. He imagined Scotty's fingers slipping into a crowded access panel as he felt Scotty slip a second finger inside him. He imagined Scotty hefting the cool, heavy weight of some big metal tool in his fist as he felt Scotty grip his hot, hard length.

"Now, Scotty," Pavel said, his voice trembling out of him. "Right now, please."

"Shhh, hold on," Scotty said, his voice soft and patient, his breath caressing Pavel's skin. "Just hold on."

Pavel wondered if there was method to Scotty's madness, if this waiting really served a purpose, or if Scotty simply enjoyed watching him unravel like this. Either way, Pavel liked it. Even though it was maddening, he loved being able to show Scotty exactly how badly he was desired. Pavel pushed up onto all fours with his knees spread wide, his body clenching around Scotty's fingers. He felt Scotty shift behind him, lean over his back and kiss his neck, one arm wrapping around Pavel's middle as his fingers continued to burrow inside Pavel's body.

"You're shaking, lad," Scotty murmured, lips brushing Pavel's skin.

"Want you now," Pavel whispered, pushing back against Scotty's fingers and bringing a hand to his cock to tug impatiently at himself.

"Wait for it, love," Scotty whispered as he reached for Pavel's dick, wrapping his own hand around Pavel's. Pavel looked down underneath himself to watch Scotty's hand cradling his own, slowing his movements, keeping him from rubbing himself too quickly. It looked so perfectly right. It always did. Pavel forced himself to relax, willed the excess tension from his shoulders and managed to stop most of his quivering. He breathed deeply and shut his eyes.

"Aye, that's it," Scotty praised him. "Slowly, slowly. There you go. See how well you're loosening up now."

Pavel felt as though he was hanging in a frozen moment of time, one perfect moment with the man he loved. Scotty was right as usual; this was far better than rushing. He could have stayed there forever, letting Scotty coax him open. By the time Scotty slipped a third finger inside, Pavel's body accepted it without protest.

And then Scotty was withdrawing his fingers and turning Pavel over onto his back. He lubricated himself, and Pavel was so glad to finally be able to lift and spread his legs up and around him, to feel the head of Scotty's prick nudging against his loosened opening, to stare up into Scotty's eyes as Scotty began to push inside.

Pavel made a little noise in the back of his throat as Scotty's girth stretched him. Scotty stopped immediately and hung there, waiting. He closed his eyes, and Pavel wondered if Scotty was listening to his breathing or concentrating on the way his hole clenched around him, gauging, calculating, waiting for Pavel to be ready for him to continue. That was exactly what Scotty was doing, because the moment Pavel felt he was ready again, Scotty began to move. He slid all the way inside with a soft groan, opened his eyes again and looked down at Pavel.

"There we are," he whispered with a sigh. Pavel was already incoherent. Scotty was finally really inside him, filling him up, stretching him, nestled inside like he was always supposed to have been there. He _was_ always supposed to have been there.

Pavel wrapped around him, enveloping him with his arms and legs, as Scotty slowly moved in and out, dropping his head down next to Pavel's, pressing his cheek to Pavel's, his breathing already shaky from the pleasure Pavel's tight heat was pressing all around his length, tightness that Scotty had to comment on, his strained voice murmuring into Pavel's ear. Pavel didn't say a word, only moaned unintelligibly, and Scotty just knew, knew when it was okay to move faster, to push into him harder, and soon he'd built up enough speed to cause a fine layer of sweat to coat his back, to cause a healthy blush to bloom all over his face and neck and chest, to cause him to lose his breath a bit, and then a little more, and then a lot. He was lovely, Pavel thought. His face was glowing and slack with pleasure and so lovely.

Pavel's ankles, which had been hooked together at Scotty's lower back, fell away from each other, his legs dangling wide now on either side of Scotty, and it felt so good to let his legs fall open and just enjoy the pounding he was getting. Scotty was watching him again. Pavel must have looked completely dazed with bliss, because Scotty's mouth pulled up into a lazy, lopsided smile.

"Hope I'm living up to your expectations," he panted.

Pavel couldn't find words adequate enough to tell him that he most definitely was, and before he even got a chance to try, Scotty changed his angle and made Pavel's eyes roll up in his head.

"Oh, there it is," said Scotty. "Hang on. I'm gonna hit that spot a bit better for you." He paused and shifted to bring Pavel's legs onto his shoulders. When he began thrusting again, he sank even deeper into Pavel's body and nudged at his prostate more firmly.

 _"Holy god!"_ Pavel cried out in Russian as stars popped behind his eyes, and he heard Scotty groan above him.

"Love it when you do that," he panted. "Talk to me, love. Say more. Say anything."

Pavel opened his mouth and all kinds of things came tumbling out in his mother tongue, how sorry he was for having been such a brat, how lucky he felt right now, how good he felt, what a beautiful man Scotty was, and how much he loved him.

 _"I love you,"_ he declared in Russian, not caring that Scotty had no idea what he was saying. _"I love you so much, and – Oh, oh, oh god!"_

"Love you too," Scotty breathed.

Pavel stare up at him in disbelief with his mouth hanging open. "Huh?"

"I understood that, what you said there. The 'I love you' part, I understood it." Scotty paused to shift again and let Pavel's legs fall back to their original position before starting to thrust again, his hands caressing Pavel's face. "I love you. And I think... I think it was me. That day in front of the statue. I think it was me."

Scotty's thrusts had slowed now, and he was fucking Pavel in a gentle, steady rhythm that made it difficult for Pavel to keep his eyes focused because of the constant pressure on the sensitive gland inside him. But then Scotty's face was right there, their foreheads and noses pressed together, and Pavel couldn't see him properly anyway.

"Scotty," he whispered, closing his eyes. "Was just... joke..."

"Shhh," Scotty hushed him. "I think it was me."

Pavel had to swallow a little lump that was forming in his throat. His toes curled as Scotty shifted his angle just a little bit once more and his thrusts picked up speed. Pavel could tell Scotty was going to come soon; he knew Scotty's noises and signals. He encouraged Scotty in Russian, knowing Scotty would be able to interpret his tone, if not his words. He wrapped his arms around him, held on tight as Scotty went faster, and he whimpered as he repeated Scotty's last words in his head, that little lump in his throat stubbornly returning.

 _"Want it inside,"_ Pavel whispered, telling Scotty to come inside him in Russian. _"Inside me where it belongs."_

"Yes... god, yes."

"Just like coming inside her, isn't it?" he added in English.

Scotty's thrusts slowed again and he pulled back a bit so he could look at Pavel properly. His expression was one of concern. "Pavel, no, I only want you tonight."

"Is okay," Pavel whispered, and it really was okay. Scotty's love and worship of the _Enterprise_ was a beautiful thing and Pavel liked that Scotty's love of him was entangled with it. Perhaps it should bother him, but it didn't. He stroked Scotty's back and whispered, "Is okay, I swear it. Come inside us, okay?"

"Oh, sweet Jesus," Scotty whimpered, shutting his eyes and pressing his forehead to Pavel's again. "You really shouldn't be encouraging this."

"Is okay. Listen. Listen."

Everything was quiet except for their erratic breathing, and Scotty was careful not to let their skin slap together too much. Pavel could hear the gentle hum of the ship all around them. It was always loudest here, in this Jeffries tube, and he knew Scotty could hear it too. He wanted Scotty to hear it. The _Enterprise_ was part of them, part of their relationship, one of the reasons they were so connected to each other. It was only fitting that she be included now, and Pavel was only too happy to oblige.

He took a deep breath, filled his lungs completely, and then began the hum. He made sure to start as quietly as possible so that his voice melded with that of the ship. He let his voice rise just a little until he was a tiny bit louder than the ship, so that his was the prominent voice in the chorus, and he knew exactly when he'd hit the perfect volume, when his hum and the ship's had merged in Scotty's mind, because Scotty emitted a helpless little moan, almost like a sob. He pulled away to look down at Pavel again. The look on his face – the sweet, almost pained look – clutched at Pavel's heart, making his voice break, making his hum clearly distinguishable from the ship's once again, and there was no chance to get the pitch back because that was when Scotty lost control and pushed into him harder, faster, finally spilling inside him.

It was even better than Pavel had imagined it would be, feeling Scotty actually coming inside him, feeling the liquid spurting in while Scotty tensed up in his arms. This was what Pavel had been missing, connecting with his lover like _this_ , their bodies merging, Scotty filling the most intimate part of Pavel with his come.

"God, I love you," Scotty moaned. "Sweet buggering fuck, you magnificent creature! Love you so much... so much..." His string of praise and profanity tapered off as his climax ebbed and then finally stopped. Scotty went limp, panting hard against Pavel's neck. Pavel just hung onto him, staring up at the low ceiling of the tube, and smiled to himself. Even this moment, this anticlimactic moment in which everything came back down, was perfect.

He whined as Scotty withdrew and rolled off him. He lowered his legs and looked over at Scotty, who lay next to him, red-faced and panting and covered in sweat. Scotty looked at him as well and smiled tiredly at him.

"You never said if I lived up to your expectations," he said.

Pavel grinned back. "Oh, yes." He rolled toward Scotty and cuddled up to him. "It was everything I wanted it to be."

Scotty found the strength to roll over and take Pavel in his arms. "Still gotta make you come. I'm gonna... do that in a minute, love, just... let me catch my breath a bit."

"No rush... Scotty?"

"Hm?"

"You said before, you said... you think it was you."

"Oh." Scotty looked down at him and smiled softly. "I think it coulda been, yeah. You asked me what I was thinking before when I kissed your scar. Well, I was sorta thinking... about the place where we really began, you and I. Let me see here; that day, you were wearing jeans and a striped t-shirt in varying shades of blue."

Pavel stared at him in disbelief. He didn't remember exactly what he'd been wearing on that day in June, back in 2250, but he remembered owning a blue-striped t-shirt back then. "I must have shown you a picture of me in that shirt."

"Maybe. Is it creepy that I remember what you were wearing? You were a child and I definitely wasn't, after all. Maybe it is creepy, I dunno, but it's not as if I've been stalking you or anything. I remember what you were wearing because you stood out. You were the little wee thing running around like a mad man and you had the biggest 'fro I think I've ever seen on a child."

Pavel snorted and snickered. "That was not my idea."

Scotty laughed too. "Oh, I place the blame squarely on your mum, believe me. And then your mum finally got hold of you and made you sit on a bench so she could deal with your ankle, and that's when our eyes met. And your little face broke into the biggest smile I'd ever seen, and you had a tooth missing. You waved at me, and let me tell you I was in a foul mood that day. Lost my favorite camera. Expensive, that thing was. And my feet hurt. And my pack was heavy. But then you smiled at me and... things didn't seem so bad all of a sudden."

Pavel couldn't tell if Scotty was joking, but he didn't interrupt. There was something so soft and genuine in Scotty's eyes at that moment, Pavel was riveted.

"You don't often get that," Scotty continued. "Smiles from perfect strangers for no reason, I mean, not even from children. Everyone's so cut off, in their own little worlds, you know. So when it happens, it's pretty refreshing, almost jarring, but in a good way, like... you start to feel like maybe things aren't so bad, like maybe you're not so alone. That's what you did for me that day, you know." Scotty stroked Pavel's curls as he spoke. "You had no way of knowing, but the simple act of smiling at a stranger made me appreciate everything so much more. A smile from a kid made me miss my camera a lot less. A smile from a kid made me realize that I was in a wonderful country with my best mates and we were all alive and healthy. That smile made me feel more connected to my fellow man. It made me snap outta my mood. It made me look around and really _see_ how beautiful everything was. That's what you did for me that day."

Pavel just stared. His heart was beating quickly now and his mind was frantically trying to remember that day, but he couldn't quite pull certain little details out of the murky depths of his memory. It was frustrating as hell. He was details-oriented by nature; he should be able to remember what he'd been wearing.

But then Scotty brought their lips together and Pavel's mind went blissfully blank.

Pavel said nothing for a long while as they lay there together in silence, holding each other. His natural obsessiveness wouldn't allow him to just let go of the mystery of his outfit on That Day. He wished he could simply relax and enjoy the afterglow, but he couldn't shut off his mind.

"What're you thinkin' about?" asked Scotty.

"Nothing."

"Lies."

Pavel smiled. He decided not to tell Scotty the truth. The story was perfect. He'd wanted it to be real, and now Scotty was playing along. Let it be, he told himself. "I have a confession to make," he finally said.

"What's that?"

Pavel looked up at him. "I was born on September 19th, 2241, and the exact time of my birth would correspond to exactly 23 hours and 46 minutes, ship time."

He stopped talking and waited, watching Scotty work out what he'd just said.

"And the time now is...?" asked Scotty.

"If I am estimating correctly –"

"And you probably are."

"– it should be about 23 hours and 10 minutes, Scotty."

"I see," Scotty said slowly. "So, technically –"

"I am still seventeen. Yes."

Scotty had agreed to go all the way with him two weeks ago after they'd all escaped death, so this news shouldn't be a big deal, should it? Pavel watched him nervously. Scotty was frowning slightly and Pavel couldn't tell what he was thinking.

"Well, you know what that means," Scotty finally said with a sigh.

"No. What?"

"We need to hurry up and get in as much dirty, forbidden sex as possible before you're officially an adult."

At that, Scotty's face broke into a big grin, and Pavel laughed with relief as Scotty rolled him onto his back.

"You are okay with being a filthy old man, then?" asked Pavel.

"Shh," Scotty hushed him with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "Quiet, child." And he kissed Pavel mercilessly before finally sliding down his body to take him in his mouth.

END


End file.
